Bales of barley to help protect water quality in city lake

By Eoin English

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

BALES of barley are being placed in the Lough in Cork to protect the quality of its water this summer.

The move is one of a number of initiatives planned by city officials to ensure the wild fowl amenity does not suffer a repeat outbreak of botulism which devastated the lake’s bird population last year. Last June, dozens of ducks and swans died after the disease swept through the popular carp fishery on the city’s southside. The outbreak followed a lengthy period of dry weather which hit the springs that normally replenish the water in the nine-acre limestone lake, turning the water stagnant.

Bacteria forming on stale bread fed to the birds compounded the outbreak. Since then, city officials have been constantly monitoring the water quality. In a report to councillors on Monday, officials said water quality readings are being taken every day from 10 different sample points, measuring dissolved oxygen levels, acidity and water temperatures.

"Readings are satisfactory at present," the report said. Officials said there are still too many fish in the lake and that this is having a negative impact on water quality.

"In the past month, in consultation with the Marine Institute, the Central Fisheries Board, the South West Regional Fisheries Board and Cork Carp Anglers Association, a number of carp fry have been removed from the lake," the report said. "The fry are currently being tested under controlled conditions for KHV [a viral disease that affects carp].

"If the Department of the Marine is satisfied that the fry are KHV free, it is the intention to remove a number of carp over the next two seasons, and transfer them to other fisheries." But the report also said barley straw was being placed in special netting around the perimeter of the island at the lake’s centre to further protect water quality. "The decay product of barley straw assists with the suppression of algae bloom. The straw is positioned near the surface of the water to maximise its benefit," the report said. Mobile water pumps will be used during summer months to aerate the lake’s water, if required, it added.

City officials again appealed to the public not to feed bread to the birds. FG Councillor Laura McGonigle said she was happy with the update but stressed the public has a vital role to play in protecting the Lough. "One of the contributing factors was the feeding of bread to birds and the council has begun a process of improving signage in the area and have also initiated a schools project to inform children about appropriate food to feed the birds," she said.

"The reality is that people have been feeding bread to the birds for years and this type of behavioural change takes a while to take effect." Meanwhile, city manager Joe Gavin said he is in talks with a potential sponsor interested in providing improved lighting around the amenity.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, May 12, 2010