Highways England invested £1.6million in 2018/19 to construct two Sustainable Drainage System (SuDs) in the Park to capture silt and filter contaminants from the highway run-off which contributes to the issues with Stover lake’s water supply.
To facilitate the construction of this, a section of conifer plantation was removed. This and other planned conifer plantation removal by Stover and the Forestry Commission will reduce sediment drop into the lake and increase wind flow to improve aeration.
Detailed plans of the SuDs systems are shown below along with an ecology plan proposal detailing how we are going to reinstate the areas surrounding the reed bed systems.
The concept of the SuDs system is water gets directed from the A38 into the system’s sediment forebay – a deep pond lined with a concrete canvas which will allow sediment, hydrocarbons and heavy metals in the water to settle.
From there the water travels into an underground catch pit chamber where oils are filtered and stored. The water continues into the reed bed system where any remaining hydrocarbons and metals are absorbed by the reeds and specific water plants.
Any remaining silt settles to the bottom of the reed bed and the water is then discharged back into Stover’s water system without contaminants.