AERATION , IRRIGATION & DRAINAGE
Pinewood Scout Centre lake reopened thanks to Otterbine
tterbine ’ s Air Flo 3 underwater ‘ bubbler ’
O diffused aeration system is the safe solution for Pinewood Scout Centre in Croydon , bringing its lake back to life and reopening it for water sports after a period of closure due to poor water quality .
When Jim Clements , site manager and scout leader , took on Pinewood Scout Centre last year he made it his mission to reform the site ’ s grounds , and fixing the lake that hosts the centre ’ s watersport activities was the first step . With the water quality of the lake being key to keeping the scouts safe , the Otterbine Air Flo 3 aerator was the ideal choice to get the lake back into action .
When it came time to find an aeration solution , Jim was after two key things : a system that is safe and can access the bottom of the lake to increase circulation and oxygenation . Otterbine ticked both boxes .
“ The lake doesn ’ t have a natural river feed so is dependent on rainfall and groundwater ,” Jim says . “ Getting oxygen into the bottom of the lake is critical and the thing I like with the Air Flo is that all the electrics are on the bank . There ’ s absolutely nothing in the water that could pose a risk to people using the lake .”
Otterbine ’ s Air Flo 3 is an underwater ‘ bubbler ’ diffused aeration system that is designed to aerate and circulate the water without disturbing its natural surroundings . But best of all for Jim and the scouts at Pinewood , is that the diffuser requires no electricity or moving parts near the water which makes the system entirely safe for swimming and for all of the centre ’ s water based activities .
Since installing the Air Flo 3 system , Jim says : “ The circulation and improved oxygenation of the water has massively improved the quality in terms of clarity . I think it ’ s the best it ’ s potentially ever been .”
Getting the lake back into a safe and working condition is a relief all round after Jim was forced to cancel the scout ’ s water activity programme last summer : “ We had an exceptional drought so water temperature was high , water levels were dropping and conditions were perfect for an algae bloom . It went toxic very quickly and I had to shut the lake . We couldn ’ t do any activities until I was able to get it back under control ,” Jim recounts .
The best way to prevent algal blooms is to increase oxygen levels in the water , and Otterbine has the highest Oxygen Transfer Rates on the market – a key factor in Jim ’ s choice .
“ When I took the site on last year , I had no background in lake management , so it ’ s been a great learning experience . Sometimes you ’ re presented with a problem and you have to find the best solution . Reesink has been fantastic . Any technical advice or any questions that I had on parts or suitability , they were just a phone call away .”
Thanks to this Otterbine solution , the Pinewood lake is ready to be used for a summer programme of activities , but it ’ s not just the scouts that are benefitting from the new system . Jim says : “ We ’ re seeing a lot more fish and amphibians in the lake , and the marginal plants are all really thriving too .”
Cleaning up the lake area is just the first step in Jim ’ s grand plan : “ Now the lake is in a stable condition the next stage is the surrounding woodland and making it far more accessible . Where previously it was overgrown , we ’ re removing a lot of the Rhododendron and replacing it with indigenous broadleaf species , making the whole site far more ecologically viable .”
To find out more about how the Otterbine range of aerators and fountains can help your lakes and ponds , contact
Reesink on 01480 226800 , email info @ reesinkturfcare . co . uk or visit reesinkturfcare . co . uk .
GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | September / October 2023 45