Council monitors Pells Lake in Lewes due to heatwave low water levels

Concerns about Pells Lake have continued due to water levels and the welfare of the fish.

Lewes Town Council is asking concerned residents not to go into the water after reports of people stepping into the lake to remove litter.

A spokesperson said: “ We understand this is a well-intentioned plan, but there are sound reasons for not doing this, not least of all from a safety perspective to individuals.”

They added: “Lewes Town Council has and will continue to monitor conditions at the Pells Lake following recent heatwaves and subsequently low water levels.

"One dead fish was found recently and was removed. Although some water is being added from the same source that feeds the Pells Pool, this is currently having only a minimal effect on water levels - we’d actually need hundreds of thousands of litres of water to top this up to levels that we see at other points in the year.

“Waterbodies everywhere are facing unprecedented pressures due to climate change and the impacts on biodiversity and wildlife are distressing, and sadly Pells Lake is not exempt from this.

“The lower water levels have revealed some debris, and we are in the process of removing some of this. However, we have to be aware not to disturb the silt, which we have recently had a professional come to take a sample analysis of.

"We are awaiting the results of this analysis that will give us a better indication of what can be done with it in relation to water quality. Similarly, one of the floating islands in the lake has now been removed, as the plants on it had been partially eaten and displaced.

"The floating islands had recently undergone refurbishment and maintenance in the spring with new plants added to actively boost oxygen levels in the lake.”

Cllr Matthew Bird, chair of the council’s Buildings and Amenities Committee, added: ‘Managing the Pells Lake is a highly complex issue, and we are very aware of the variety of issues that we’ve been notified about in recent weeks.

"We had already been proactively taking measures to protect the wildlife and will continue to put these into play as and when we have to. The water table levels naturally fluctuate with the level of the groundwater in the land around the lake itself, so this is no different to what countless ponds, lakes and rivers are experiencing at the moment.

‘Lewes Town Council is progressing with a wider restoration project for the lake and its surroundings. It is a long-term project and in the shorter term, we are considering what action we would take if water levels became critical given the new normal of weather extremes.

"We have also sought advice on removal of the fish and storage elsewhere during these difficult conditions and are meeting a specialist to discuss next steps imminently. There are multiple considerations to think through, including the risk of disease or the contamination of another body of water. Rest assured we are working through a range of options.”

Lewes Town Council staff have also recently carried out a litter pick around the edge of the lake.