Heeker anglers on a special mission at the Bült quarry pond

A lot has happened recently in the quarry pond in the Bült. A day-long special operation was pending.

2 mins reading time

2023-05-18 04:00:00

Anyone who was out and about at the Baggersee in the Bült in the evening hours last week will certainly have noticed the “suspicious” work. Several men worked for days with heavy equipment and sometimes in the headlights in and on the water.

Of course everything was correct. The board of directors of ASV Dinkeltreue Heek was in action for water maintenance. Because that is also one of the tasks of the anglers. Keyword maintaining ecological balance. Something that outsiders tend to forget.

Many hours of use

It took ten men and five evenings to bring the four artificial islands used in previous years back into shape. The work focused on removing rubbish, cutting back overgrown plants and checking and repairing nesting sites.

Around 4.5 hectares in size and up to seven meters deep – the quarry pond was created when excavation work began at the Borgers sand-lime brick works in 1928. Gradually, this work created a habitat for many animal species. But the quarry lake is also structurally poor, and there is no habitat or retreat for certain species.

That’s exactly why the artificial islands, which have now been revamped, come into play. A construction made of wood and wire is built on three drainage pipes, each five meters long. The tubes are closed with lids and serve as a natural floating body.

The wooden surface is covered with soil and plants. In addition to this habitat above the water surface for insects, for example, and as a breeding ground for birds, there is also the one below the waterline. Coarse-mesh nets are attached under the island.

Thus, the area under the island is an escape for smaller fish from predatory fish and the cormorant. So an artificial shelter, since the little fish can simply slip through the mesh.

“Every move was carried out with great care in order to preserve the natural beauty and functionality of the islands,” emphasizes Jan Wieling in an interview with the editors. He is responsible for the association’s public relations.

After the work was completed, the islands were then returned to their original positions in the lake. It was of course an advantage that the members of the association were able to operate the borrowed machines due to their professional experience.

“Everything really worked out well,” sums up Jan Wieling. This is not the only reason why the fishing club will continue to strive to make its contribution to the preservation of the waters and the biodiversity that lives in them.