Worcester College Gardeners 2009-2018: Gravel Lining The Weir Pools

Two Pools

The two pools by the weir, adjacent to the Sainsbury Building, are in need of a refresh now that the work to extend the lake has been completed. The pools have also been renovated with the old rotten, wooden sides being replaced with new steel sheet piling with a stone capping. To refresh the pools the idea is to put a layer of light gravel on top of the dark, mucky silt, to create a clean, brighter bottom beneath the water.

3 Tonnes Of Gravel

Equipment Ready

Electric Submersible Pump Didn't Work

The plan was to pump the water out of the two pools in to the lake, spread the gravel over the silt and then switch the weir back on to refill them but, as can be seen by the following series of photographs, best laid plans often go awry!
The first pump the team used didn't work so, whilst waiting for a replacement pump to arrive, the pool with the least amount of water in it was emptied using a trug, scooping the water out and in to the neighbouring pool.

Scooping Out With A Bucket

Shovelling The Gravel

Pouring In The Gravel

Raking The Gravel Level

Once the first pool had been emptied the gravel was then poured in over the silt and raked level. In the afternoon the freshwater petrol pump arrived, courtesy of the University Parks, and it began to empty the deeper pool until it stopped working, a stone had got sucked up and jammed the motor, so the trugs had to be put back in to action. However, the second pool was still full of water so it took two of the team to scoop out the contents in to the lake. Once empty the remainder of the 3 tonnes of gravel were poured in, levelled and the weir switched on again. With the dark, mucky silt layer now covered the pools look cleaner and even the reflection of the neighbouring Sainsbury Building has returned.