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THE fish in Mackay’s Gooseponds will be able to breathe a little easier thanks to the help of some innovative new equipment.
On Tuesday, May 15, council will install three different devices to improve oxygenation of the upper pool of the Gooseponds. Development Services director Gerard Carlyon said the work would reduce the number of fish kills that had been occurring on a seasonal basis.
“Oxygen stress has resulted in the death of fish in the Gooseponds to varying degrees over many years,” he said. “This is related to early wet season storms washing large amounts of organic matter, soil materials and nutrients into the Gooseponds, with the upper-pool receiving run-off from the larger catchment. This has, at times, depleted the water of oxygen, creating anoxic conditions. Once oxygen saturation levels drop below 10 percent, fish start to die. Unfortunately, pest fish species are more tolerant to lower levels of oxygen than native species.”
The devices being installed to combat low oxygen levels in the Gooseponds include three sub-surface water circulators to maintain constant water movement, two surface-mounted aerators that disperse water vertically and radially and one surface-mounted fountain that will shoot a jet of water skyward.
The work will not cause any major disruption to residents. However, increased noise and dust may be noticed in the area during installation.
The work is expected to be completed by May 25, weather permitting.
