Keep away from Chasewater

Published: Friday, 19 March 2010

AS THE rescue of fish is taking place from the draining Chasewater Reservoir, people are risking the mud to see what is happening, causing great concern.

Thousands of fish are being removed from the  reservoir, after earlier this month contractors caught samples of fish to assess their health, and  deemed  their condition satisfactory.

Risking their lives

But as the water gets lower leaving pools, people are wading out  on to the  bed of the reservoir, risking their lives in the soft mud, but now Lichfield District Council spokeswoman Elizabeth Thatcher has told residents to keep away from the fish rescue mission, explaining:

"British Waterways' fish rescue contractors have been on site moving fish from small pools to the main pool over the past few days and a number of people have been wading out into the muddy reservoir bed to get a closer view of the fish rescue operation.

"This is not only because it is dangerous to walk on the reservoir bed, it could also interfere with the rescue."

The fish will not be returned to Chasewater as when it is filled there will be no naturally occurring food, but it will be allowed to restock naturally from the streams that will be used to refill it once work is completed.