Ponds completely dry up killing fish, turtles and wildlife

Wildlife across Basingstoke is struggling after the heatwave dried up ponds at Sherfield-on-Loddon and Cliddesden.

The Sherfield-on-Loddon pond is cracked and bare, with dead fish and turtles and ducks and moorhens left without shelter or drinking water, while photographs show the Cliddesden pond has also been reduced to mud and silt after weeks of dry weather.

With no sign of official help, a wildlife volunteer is keeping the stranded animals alive on her own.

The pond is completely dried up (Image: Sean Dillow)

Sophie Pipera, a bird specialist with Helping Wildlife Basingstoke, has visited the pond daily since last Wednesday, paying for water and food and leaving dishes for ducks and mealworms for baby moorhens.

She said the response from the council so far had not gone far enough. "The council put a post up basically saying 'fish are dying, but we aren't going to do anything' – not even a dish of water for the birds," she said. "I just went and bought water and food and put dishes out for the ducks."

Sophie Pipera from Sherfield-on-Loddon and Aidan Nash from Bramley have been helping the wildlife (Image: Sean Dillow)

Cllr Sean Dillow, who represents Kempshott and Buckskin, saw the pond during a visit to Sherfield-on-Loddon and called it a warning about the drought’s impact on the region’s water system.

"A pond that should be full of life is now completely dry, with dead fish and ducks and other wildlife struggling to survive."

Cllr Sean Dillow by Sherfield-on-Loddon pond (Image: Sean Dillow)

He pointed to falling river flows and groundwater levels and questioned the strain groundwater abstraction is putting on the chalk-fed River Loddon, which supplies wildlife and local drinking water.

Sophie said simple measures could make a real difference for wildlife struggling through the heat. "It's simple to help them – leave a dish of water, top up food, leave plenty of water," she said.

"You could even get a small swimming pool and fill it with water for them. It's not rocket science to help."

She said aggressive grass-cutting in the extreme heat had worsened the situation since the council took over the local service.

Describing the toll on the pond's other wildlife, she added: "All the fish are gone, the locals are pissed off. The poor little turtles who lived in the little house in the pond are dead."

Aidan gets to work (Image: Sophie Pipera)

Sherfield-on-Loddon Parish Council has called an extraordinary meeting for Tuesday, August 18, to consider dredging the pond, and it has received a quote of £11,300 for the work.

A spokesperson for Sherfield-on-Loddon Parish Council said: "Sherfield on Loddon pond is a pluvial pond, meaning it is entirely dependent on rainfall for its water supply. As a result, the pond naturally dries up during prolonged periods of dry weather and refills when sufficient rainfall returns.

"We remain in constant liaison with the Environment Agency regarding the pond. However, during periods of drought, there is very little that can be done to maintain the water level.

"The wildlife currently in the pond has been introduced or dumped there, rather than being part of the pond’s natural ecosystem. Unfortunately, neither local facilities nor private pond owners are willing to take the wildlife, as it cannot be guaranteed that the animals are free from disease.

"An extraordinary meeting has been called to consider dredging the pond. The pond was last dredged in 1997, and the current quotation for the work is £11,300. Dredging would increase the depth of the pond, which may help to slow the rate at which the water evaporates. However, it would not prevent the pond from eventually drying out if there is insufficient rainfall or a prolonged period of dry weather.

"It is also not possible to fill the pond with drinking or mains tap water, as the chemicals used to treat the water could be harmful to the wildlife. In addition, the Parish Council does not have access to a sufficient volume of water for this to make any meaningful difference to the pond’s water level.

"Ultimately, the pond is entirely reliant on natural rainfall, and during prolonged periods of drought there are limited practical options for maintaining its water level."

A spokesperson for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council said: "Our usual approach is not to cut grass around ponds in periods of drought or consistently hot weather.

"People who are concerned about wildlife should contact local rescue centres if they see injured or visibly unwell animals."