Update of Kranji Reservoir Adoption Programme (May 2010)

By Dr Ho Hua Chew

Pond Maintenance

Maintenance work for the Marshy and Clearwater ponds, at their landward edges and shallower parts, were continued by volunteers. Twenty River Valley High School students came back for a second time on 31 April 2010 to resume the clearing of unwanted vegetation. This was followed by 16 staff from Bloomberg in May 2010.

Bloomberg staff clearing unwanted vegetation from the bund

Apart from voluntary work, professional contract maintenance was also carried out in May at the deeper ends of both ponds. Aside from clearing the unwanted pond vegetation, workers also opened up a clogged stream that flows into the Marshy Pond and cleared the vegetation at the edge of the small bund dividing the two ponds. The cleared plants were sent once again to Green Circle Eco Farm for composting.

Bird Surveys

Three birdlife surveys were carried out in February and March 2010, with the objective of setting up an inventory of the types and numbers of bird species that can be found at the reservoir’s Intake Bund and at the marshland fringe along the Intake Channel. One survey was conducted in the late afternoon while the other two were done in the morning. The transect was along the two kilometer Intake Bund, which is currently under restricted access controlled by PUB. These surveys will provide ecological information relevant to the issue of opening up the Bund on a free-and-easy basis to visitors, hikers, cyclists etc. We are concerned that the establishment of a park connector along the Bund will disrupt the birdlife that are using these areas for resting and feeding. The surveys recorded 39 species numbering 204 birds in all. These include the Little Tern (endangered), Grey Heron (vulnerable), Purple Heron (endangered), Yellow-billed Egret, Yellow Bittern and Yellow Wagtail. At least 17 Grey Herons were regularly using the Bund proper for resting and fish foraging.

Flock of Grey Herons on Kranji Bund by Ian Rickword

Flock of Grey Herons on Kranji Bund by Gerard Francis

A report based on these surveys, as well as information from recent observations outside the surveys, is in the process of being formulated and will be submitted to the relevant authorities by June 2010.