“Urgent action is needed” in order to save a much-loved lake for future generations to enjoy. The Friends of Gresford Lake and Gresford Community Council have been working to restore and enhance the natural habitats around Gresford Lake, which has been slowly deteriorating for decades. Once a thriving oasis, the introduction of carp in the 1980s has led to a steady decline of Gresford Lake.
Feeding bread to ducks and fish has, unfortunately, also contributed, resulting in these populations exploding and eating any remaining water plants and insect life. Harmful algal blooms have thrived and the lake is void of life. In 2023, the Community Council and Friends of Gresford Lake secured funding from the Welsh Government’s Landfill Disposal Tax Community Scheme, administered by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).
The grant of over £48,000 enabled the group to remove the invasive carp, with around 1,000 fish relocated in total. A solar-powered ultrasonic algae remover was installed and coir roles have been laid with thousands of new plants and reeds. Despite this significant investment and positive progress, runoff from the nearby roads has contributed to substantial levels of silt pollution gathering at the bed of the lake.
Sadly, discharge from the roads flows into the lake before making its way to the sewerage system, meaning the lake has basically been used as a filter for many years. The dead tree foliage, toxins, tar, oil, rubber, and road dust is washed in .
