Unstead Wetland Reserve

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.

The lagoon has been partially drained, on a temporary basis, by the warden to allow for further cutting back of the willow so today's sample was taken close to where the bulk of willow is growing and not a few metres in from the natural shoreline. Both the nitrate and phosphate tests were virtually clear hence I have given them values representing the mid-point between 0.0 and 0.2 (i.e.. 0.1), and 0.00 and 0.02 (i.e. 0.01) respectively.

Path was quite overgrown. Saw a dragonfly!

I might have been able to sample further into the lagoon if I had been wearing Wellington boots!