Restoring Water Well & Pond

The Water Well

For many years, we have talked about creating a pond, which will increase biodiversity in the garden by allowing the introduction of aquatic organisms. The discovery of a disused garden well provided the impetus to proceed with this project. One of our volunteers is a hydrologist and was instrumental in encouraging us to dig out the well and establish its viability.

In August 2023, volunteers investigated the old water well that sits within the walls of the garden. A thick cover of brambles, chicken wire and old wood had to be removed before the shaft could emerge from the darkness.

It was found to be 2 metres in depth and diameter and lined in the traditional way with dry stones. The water level was measured at 1.5 metres below ground level, giving a depth of water of 0.5 metres above the base of the well.

The well was dewatered with a pump, and many buckets of mud and plant debris were removed from its base. Its wall was also jetted with a water hose to improve the inflow of groundwater. A pole gauge was installed to monitor the recovery of the water level after pumping and determine the yield of the well. Preliminary results suggest a yield of about 500 litres per day in summer, when the water table is deepest.

It was established that the stone walls were in a structurally poor condition, so a local builder was engaged to demolish the stonework and rebuild the walls.

Since then, we have installed a solar-powered pump that transfers water from the well into the nearby pond. Run-off from the roof of the craft centre building is also used to maintain the water level in the pond.

We plan to complete the refurbishment of the well by creating a parapet using stone blocks salvaged from the original garden greenhouse. A pitched-roof canopy over the well will then be built to accommodate the solar panels used to power the pump.

The Pond

In July 2024, we were successful in attracting a grant of £10,100 from the National Lottery Community Fund to finance the creation of a pond.

The funding was used to dig out an area between the craft building and the well and install a pond liner. Two local enthusiasts designed the pond, which provides a suitable depth of water alongside an associated wetland area, and it has been stocked with aquatic plants. The pond has a maximum depth of one metre.

We also plan to plant new trees around the pond. The pond provides an important resource for the garden and is particularly valuable for pupils from Athelstaneford Primary School, who visit regularly as part of their outdoor curriculum.

It has already been colonised by a variety of insects and amphibians and has provided a good supply of mud used by swallows to build nests in the craft building. Some of the Lottery funding was also used to refurbish the well and provide the solar-powered pump used to extract water.

We are conscious that access to the garden can be difficult for visitors with prams or wheelchairs, so part of the funding has also been used to create a solid path from the garden entrance to the pond area.