Unstead Wetland Reserve

Re-filled since last month (when it was drained to allow cutting of willow beds at back).

East Lagoon has been drained to cut encroaching willows, therefore it was not possible to take a water sample (and likely that the sediment will have been stirred up when it is reflooded).

Low Nitrates, but high Phosphates. East Lagoon is being drained to allow cutting encroaching Willows, hence flow in from culvert has been blocked off for a few days. This might account for the high Phosphates?

Lots of duckweed covering surface, shading out blue greens. Low Phosphate & Nitrate.

Duckweed covering surface and no sign of any blue/gree algae in water (see in June's test). Low P & N this time.

Both Nitrates & Phosphates low today. Looks like an algal bloom is developing. Hard to see on the photo but looks like clouds of single celled algae on mud bottom (easily disturbed and not strands and not on surface).

Nitrate & Phosphate both very low today. Water levels seem quite high. Duckweed starting to cover water surface.

Rained heavily yesterday so water quality in East Lagoon may benefit from this fresh rain water.

There was a thin sheet of ice covering most of the lagoon. I sampled from an area that was ice free near the edge of the lagoon. Where I sampled the water reached about halfway up my Wellington boots. As I walked into the lagoon, breaking the ice as I went, the silt was easily disturbed. I managed to avoid churning up the silt at the sample point.

The water was lowered in the East Lagoon about a month ago to allow for the cutting back of willow, and water was allowed to re-enter the East lagoon eight days ago via the neighbouring lagoon to the west. The water was clear but the sample included some debris, water depth was about six inches, and the bottom was easily disturbed.