The low water level is reportedly affecting wildlife at Western Springs. Photo / Michael Craig
The low water level is reportedly affecting wildlife at Western Springs. Photo / Michael Craig
Auckland Council says it is urgently investigating after a concerned resident reported the plunging level of the lake at Western Springs, saying wildlife is struggling with the sudden drop.
Local resident Vicki Adams, who grew up in the area and walks there nearly every day, told the Herald she could not recall seeing the lake this low in more than 40 years.
She said she saw men working on the lake before the Pasifika Festival and believed they may have “accidentally created a problem” without realising it.
She first noticed the drop last weekend. ”I said to my son, there’s something wrong here. Really, really wrong,” Adams told the Herald.
She reported the issue to the council and also spoke to a member of staff from Auckland Zoo who told her that it was “extremely low” and “really concerning”.
She described the “devastation” she saw at the park, revealing parts of the lake were now just “sediment and mud”.
The low water level was obvious when the Herald visited this morning. Photo / Michael Craig
”Last night you could see the Koi [carp] ... struggling to turn in the mud,” Adams told the Herald on Wednesday.
She said some young birds could not leave the water at the now-dry walls of the lake.
”The young babies can’t get out because it’s way too high for them now,” she said, revealing she had buried a dead cygnet she found on Monday.
She said the smell at the lake was “extremely pungent” and believed that locals were lucky that the heat of summer was behind us.
Some wildlife are reportedly struggling with the change. Photo / Michael Craig
Craig Mcilroy, Auckland Council general manager healthy waters, told the Herald that teams are currently investigating what has caused the lake level to drop.
Vicki Adams said some wildlife was in trouble. Photo / Supplied
“Our teams have been on the ground today and believe it is caused by the two weirs (on the southeastern and northeastern side of the lake) slowly leaking. Further investigation will determine whether this is the case,” he said.
“We have raised the issue and are working on an urgent fix. We’d like to thank the community for their patience and reassure residents that this is a priority.”
Vicki Adams said she had never seen the lake that low. Photo / Vicki Adams
The council also said it was investigating reports on the welfare of the lake’s wildlife and would offer an update.
Jooles Clements, head of brand experience and businesss development at Auckland Zoo, said that the zoo had recently been focusing on high water levels and flooding along Motions Creek, which overflows from the lake, but he would seek further information from his colleagues.
