The Kingfisher Pond is emblematic of the problems affecting the water supply in Longstanton. It was originally created as a source of irrigation water when the whole of present-day Northstowe was still agricultural land. It measures some 75m by 35m, is located adjacent to the Western Park sports area and the allotments in Northstowe. Originally, the water was between 1.5m and 2m in depth.
The pond sits squarely in the middle of what is known as the ‘RTD’. RTD stands for ‘River Terrace Deposits’ and denotes a seam of sandy gravel running from Cambridge City to Chatteris, including the village of Longstanton. The sandy gravel was deposited by forerunners of the present day River Cam: it is very permeable and porous, so water moves freely through it. It is classed as an aquifer, which means that it is significant for our water supply.
There are many small ponds located along the length of the RTD. These ponds extend from ground level into the RTD. This means that the level of the pond reflects the level of water in the aquifer. In the past, the Kingfisher Pond was used extensively for irrigation and its level was frequently lowered as result. Nevertheless, it is recorded that the water level always recovered within a few days as it was recharged by the water in the RTD.
The effect of water loss on the Kingfisher Pond can also be seen in the woeful state of other ponds in the village. Furthermore, in addition to ponds, there is another water feature that accesses the RTD – wells. Wells extend into the RTD: when water is removed, the well is recharged by the aquifer; when the water level in the aquifer falls, the wells go dry.
When it was no longer used for agriculture, the Kingfisher Pond became the focus of a richly bio-diverse environment. Trees flourished around the pond; the water had a fish population, and frogs. And there really were kingfishers there, as well as other wild birds. When ground works began in preparation for building Northstowe Phase 1, undertakings were made by the developers and local councils that everything necessary would be done to preserve this bio-diversity. It is hard to see how they could claim that this promise was kept. Longstanton residents have always seen the on-going state of the pond as emblematic of the impact Northstowe has had, and continues to have, on the local environment, and a test of the good faith of all those involved in planning and managing Northstowe’s development.
The evolving state of the Kingfisher Pond can be judged by the pictures in this website’s header. Currently, the water level stands at a couple of centimetres and little of the pond is visible beneath the overgrowth that covers it. The last picture in the sequence (2042) is, of course, a whimsical projection about where we just might be heading…