Lakes & Lagoon

Theme principle

A better understanding of the lakes, lagoon (boating lake) and related drainage will lead to better informed management decisions and works that will improve water quality for people and wildlife.

Poole Park lakes and lagoon, 2019. Picture credit: Lovesey Photography

About the project, a video by our contractors Ebsford Environmental

Major works were completed April 2019 but planting the new landscaping around the freshwater lakes with some 6,000 shrubs and plants continued into May; huge thanks to the many volunteers that helped out!

Our contractors Ebsford Environmental will return to install two floating islands in the lagoon later in the year when the plants are grown on and ready.

Dredging, Islands & Landscaping 2019

Read about the project to improve the ecology and recreational potential of the lagoon and freshwater lakes

Sluice Channel Bridge Works 2019

Repairs and restoration of the brick piers and a new bridge over the sluice channel that links the lagoon to Poole Harbour

Only Rain Down the Drain

An awareness campaign that aims to prevent water pollution in the lakes & lagoon. We started during summer 2018; during the summer of 2019 we assessed our impact on park neighbours and included a bird feeding element to the campaign.

Research & monitoring

In 2015 Bournemouth University’s Global Environmental Solutions (BUG) consulting team were funded by the HLF to research and monitor the water quality and ecology of the boating lake and two smaller freshwater ponds in Poole Park. The one-year long study provided the baseline data required to inform on-going management decisions

Poole Park Lakes Facebook Group

As part of the research and monitoring work, a Poole Park Lakes Facebook Group was set up enabling & encouraging members of the public to become involved in scientific research at the lakes and lagoon.

The aim of the page is to allow the public to upload photos of water levels (via the gauge board by The Kitchen restaurant), incident sightings (pollution from drains), algal blooms and flora and fauna sightings.

Please join us and share your images and other information: www.facebook.com/groups/pooleparklakes

The lakes & lagoon (boating lake) explained

The Victorians designed Poole Park to include a large boating lake, 21Ha (51 acres) in size, and for the first 100 years it was managed solely for boating. However, the research project has shown it to be much more than just a boating lake and should be managed as a sluice-controlled saline lagoon.

Five information panels were produced (below) during the consultation period to explain about the lakes and lagoon in some detail. The panels provide background information, key findings of the Research project and proposals for the future.

1. In the beginning...

Download the information panel (pdf, 2.5MB)

4. The future?

Download the information panel (pdf, 400kb)

2. Modern times and modern issues

Download the information panel (pdf, 500kb)

5. Freshwater lakes and drainage

Download the information panel (pdf, 800kb)

3. Key findings of the research

Download the information panel (pdf, 700kb)

Concept views, July 2016

Large Freshwater Lake

Download (pdf, 2.5MB)

Lagoon (Boating Lake) #1

Download (pdf, 1.8MB)

Lagoon (Boating Lake) #2

Download (pdf, 1.4MB)

Works to include:

  • Dredging more silt from the lake bed to deepen the water
  • Creating new reed beds around the lake edges from the dredged material
  • Refreshing the existing islands and creating new ones
  • Automating the sluice gate that controls the water level
  • Improving the infrastructure that feeds water in to the park lakes
  • Educating local residents and businesses on the effect of surface water that ends up in the park

Drainage within the park will also be addressed, either as part of the improvements to the roads, or in specific works, such as around the cricket pitch.

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