The Brew Cabin

Could anyone advise on a problem with my garden? The big problem is that the drainage outfall pipe from the road discharges into what could possibly be described as a pond, but more correctly a muddy puddle, in the corner of the garden. This is no more than a large dirty puddle, overflowing in winter but dry and cracked in summer.

I would like to make this into an attractive pond for wildlife. Could it be dug out and lined? Would we need to install a silt trap of some kind to remove the worst of the road debris from entering the pond? Would a reedbed work?

Hi,

firstly, I'm mystified that a roadway is draining into your garden. This is a most unusual arrangement as most public highways drain into public sewers or onto public land, not onto private land. Have you ever queried this arrangement with your local authority highways deperatment?

Anyway, assuming it stays as it is, then you could, in theory, turn your seasonal puddle into a permanent pond by re-constructing it with a liner. I'd strongly recommend a silt trap and, if you're serious about wildlife, then an oil interceptor might also be a good idea, otherwise you could end up accidentally poisoning the pond creatures and vegetation.

I can't really comment on the reed bed notion, as that isn't my field of expertise, but I know they are commonly used to clean up polluted or suspect surface water. You should speak to a reed bed specialist - C.A.T. at Machynnleth (sp??) may be able to advise.