The Leat Project - Monument Pond

Part of the Leat Project involved digging out a new pond where the stream enters the northern end of the Woodland Education Centre. To be known as Monument Pond, it was built with the stream as the inlet. Two outlets were included, one into the newly constructed Leat and the other a sluice gate controlling the flow of water into the stream. Monument Pond was designed to serve two purposes.

1) To allow silt from upstream to deposit out, stopping much of it from reaching the sensitive wetland habitats further down stream.

2) Preventing the flow of floodwater into the stream by diverting it into the newly constructed Leat. This would be achieved by closing the sluice gate which normally allows some water into the stream.

Construction of Monument Pond involved clearance of a dense jungle of rhododendron, followed by surveying by a Civil Engineer and then digging out the pond using a 20 tonne swing shovel. An island of material was left in the middle. Finally the sluice gate and exit into the Leat was constructed.