Major work begins on new saline lagoon
The excavation of WWT Washington’s new saline lagoon has begun!
Designed to improve the biodiversity of the area currently known as Sandpiper Ponds, the development will open up the river bank that currently edges the wildlife reserve and strengthen the connection between our site and the River Wear.
In 2011, essential species surveys were carried out, tree felling along the river path took place, the existing fence line was repositioned to the top of White Meadow and now the landscaping of the lagoon itself is underway.
Once complete, the lagoon will allow tidal water from the River Wear to flood onto our site through a controlled sluice; typically two or three times a month during spring tide.
Even when the tide is low however, the land will still retain pools of water and this brackish habitat will provide the perfect salinity levels for a unique range of wetland species.
The spoil from the landscaping – some 100,000 cubic metres or 14,285 Transit van-loads! – will be deposited at either end of the lagoon, raising the area substantially and creating fantastic vistas across the habitat itself and down along the river.
At the top of the meadow, near the new fence line, will be the end of a meandering nature trail, which visitors will wander along from Hawthorn Wood before emerging at the viewing point overlooking the lagoon.
The hedgerows along the trail are to be left partially in-tact, creating a subtle screen that will allow the public to get close to the wildlife on the meadow and the river, but without disturbing it.
This project will allow us to develop fish populations within the lagoon, which will in turn attract species to feed on them, including cormorant, kingfisher, grebe, goosander and otter.
In fact, as we already know that we have breeding otter living on the river, there is a strong possibility visitors will be able to sit at one of the newly-created vantage points and actually see a family of otters playing in the water below!
Please note that until further notice, there will be no public access to the river from Hawthorn Wood hide path.
Instead, visitors are kindly asked to retrace their steps back through Hollowood and down past the Asian short-clawed otter enclosure, if they wish to go along the river.
