Lake View
Point 7
Peter L POINT 7.mp3Peter J POINT 7.mp3The Site
The Site
The lake rests on around 9m of silt deposited here and throughout the site from silt dredged to keep the Mersey clear for shipping. Residents remember that the river was very smelly and dirty in the past. A pipeline from the wastewater treatment plant passes under the lake and the outfall is adjacent to the Navigation lights in the estuary.
The lake rests on around 9m of silt deposited here and throughout the site from silt dredged to keep the Mersey clear for shipping. Residents remember that the river was very smelly and dirty in the past. A pipeline from the wastewater treatment plant passes under the lake and the outfall is adjacent to the Navigation lights in the estuary.
‘The landfill was built on silt, was this an issue?’
‘The landfill was built on silt, was this an issue?’
“it was certainly, speaking to people now we probably wouldn’t do it again, put it that way. It certainly was a challenge. I’m not aware of any other sites that I know of built on now that will settle. So yes, it was a challenge and it had to be addressed in engineering terms and obviously and particularly in relation to the pipeline that is there.” Peter Lunt
“it was certainly, speaking to people now we probably wouldn’t do it again, put it that way. It certainly was a challenge. I’m not aware of any other sites that I know of built on now that will settle. So yes, it was a challenge and it had to be addressed in engineering terms and obviously and particularly in relation to the pipeline that is there.” Peter Lunt
Peter Jones (resident) remembers the smell of the Mersey prior to the Dock closing, he said it was ‘very smelly and dirty’ and ‘ they used to dredge and take it out into the bay and drop it off, then the next thing it would be back in again, so it was a constant dredging job to get the silt. ‘ (PJ 10.06)
Peter Jones (resident) remembers the smell of the Mersey prior to the Dock closing, he said it was ‘very smelly and dirty’ and ‘ they used to dredge and take it out into the bay and drop it off, then the next thing it would be back in again, so it was a constant dredging job to get the silt. ‘ (PJ 10.06)
Dredging and other waste was also dumped in an area called The Mersey Bar - The area the wind turbines are located.
Dredging and other waste was also dumped in an area called The Mersey Bar - The area the wind turbines are located.
Mark C POINT 7.mp3The pond on the original plans, when we were discussing it in the meetings it was then assumed to be salt water because the, silting ponds had originally been built to pour silt, dredged from the River Mersey or the docks or wherever, onto the site. And of course the last big filling operation had actually been when the Albert Dock was dredged in 1982, the silt was taken from there and put onto the site. And because it was salty, any water that gathered on that site was salty, so it was always referred to, in those meetings, as The Salt Marsh. But obviously several years later, ... the salinity had long since gone.
The pond on the original plans, when we were discussing it in the meetings it was then assumed to be salt water because the, silting ponds had originally been built to pour silt, dredged from the River Mersey or the docks or wherever, onto the site. And of course the last big filling operation had actually been when the Albert Dock was dredged in 1982, the silt was taken from there and put onto the site. And because it was salty, any water that gathered on that site was salty, so it was always referred to, in those meetings, as The Salt Marsh. But obviously several years later, ... the salinity had long since gone.
Mark C
Mark C
Anne L POINT 7.mp3Lake Water Levels
Lake Water Levels
In the heatwave of 2018 the lake dried up and only the reed beds were visible, and it took some months for it to fill up again.
In the heatwave of 2018 the lake dried up and only the reed beds were visible, and it took some months for it to fill up again.
"One of the things that was always a worry for me which I couldn’t solve either was the level of water in the lake. Its compromised by so many different factors that it would need a lot of input to try and work that one out. The water in the lake is on about 9 metres of silt and the Oil pipeline goes around in that area and also the pipeline from or the wastewater treatment plant also goes underneath that area. So it would be difficult to excavate a different depth there to hold water permanently and with climate change and the variable weather, the lake did dry out 2 years ago and I am sure it has been very low this year with the drought we had earlier this year and this could become a recurrent problem."
"One of the things that was always a worry for me which I couldn’t solve either was the level of water in the lake. Its compromised by so many different factors that it would need a lot of input to try and work that one out. The water in the lake is on about 9 metres of silt and the Oil pipeline goes around in that area and also the pipeline from or the wastewater treatment plant also goes underneath that area. So it would be difficult to excavate a different depth there to hold water permanently and with climate change and the variable weather, the lake did dry out 2 years ago and I am sure it has been very low this year with the drought we had earlier this year and this could become a recurrent problem."
Anne Litherland - former Park Ranger
Anne Litherland - former Park Ranger
Dredging the lake to make it deeper would disturb pollutants in the sediment, that are at present safely covered under cleaner layers.
Dredging the lake to make it deeper would disturb pollutants in the sediment, that are at present safely covered under cleaner layers.
Blacktailed Godwits - Ron Thomas
Blacktailed Godwits - Ron Thomas
Birds
Birds
Ducks, swans, moorhens, coots, are regular inhabitants of the lake, with black tailed godwits amongst the regular seasonal visitors.
Ducks, swans, moorhens, coots, are regular inhabitants of the lake, with black tailed godwits amongst the regular seasonal visitors.
The Riverside Park and its surroundings provides different habitats for birds, fresh water lake, reed beds, mud flats, river, mussel beds, trees, open grass land, scrub and bushes.
The Riverside Park and its surroundings provides different habitats for birds, fresh water lake, reed beds, mud flats, river, mussel beds, trees, open grass land, scrub and bushes.
Directions to next point
Directions to next point
Carry on with the lake to your right. At the junction turn right and look for the information board.
Carry on with the lake to your right. At the junction turn right and look for the information board.