Specialists in Water Management for Landscapes, Fisheries, Leisure and Conservation
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2006 Summary |
Below are photos of work undertaken by Kingcombe Aquacare Ltd in 2006. Most of them are work in progress, some are the finished article.
Aside from the new build and restoration projects, our maintenance teams are still travelling the country keeping corporate and private water features in pristine condition - a very important job.
Our fisheries and environmental department also continues to operate, carrying out essential work on our rivers and still waters. This work ranges from annual electrofishing contracts to river restoration projects to Aquatic herbicide applications.
Last season our AquaTractor weed harvester carried out over 600 hours of aquatic weed removal from various waters without a single breakdown - testament to the excellent design and engineering of our new machine.
New for 2007 is our Aquatic Plant Nursery. We have been building up our plant stocks over the last growing season and plan to supply the public as well as our clients with high quality plants. If you would like more information call us and speak to either John or Mareta.
Also launching is our Pumps Division. For servicing, repairs and installation of pumping equipment, aimed primarily towards the commercial sector. Chad, our engineer, is available for call outs, routine maintenance, replacements, new installations etc. In the first instance telephone the office with your requirements.
In no particular order, here are some of the projects Kingcombe Aquacare Ltd have been involved in over the past year.
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Tom Stuart-Smith landscape, Thirsk, Yorkshire. Membrane and recirculation scheme installation
Fabrication and installation of a painted Douglas Fir 5 metre span bridge, Lydiard Park, Swindon.
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Restoration of an old lake, Hooke, Dorset. The project included the construction of a green oak footbridge and fishing platforms. We laid a Breedon Gravel path around the lake to allow easy access for pedestrians and wheelchair users. the photos show a before and after shot of one section of the lake.
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Refurbishment of an existing pond system, Norburton Hall, Dorset. We installed a filtration system to sustain good water quality and fountains to add attraction when guests are using the garden. The photos above show the completed project, before the introduction of aquatic plants.
Design and construction of a fibreglass model river for the Countryside Alliance stand at the Game Fair. Included was a recirculation system, complete with chiller unit, to move and cool the water. The sides were planted with native marginal plants and the base surcharged with gravel and cobbles, planted in between with water crowfoot. The living stream came to life with the introduction of live trout from Hooke Springs Trout Farm! The stand was a real success with the public and drew much attention.
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Replacement of a perished lake liner for Arlington Business Parks, Aztec West, Bristol. This was not a simple project and involved the removal of silt to tip via crane and sealed lorries. We constructed a new pump chamber to collect ground water from a series of under liner drains. The cascade was also re-lined and the main fountain refurbished. The photos above show the project drained down (heavily silted!), with the Firestone membrane being installed and after refilling.
Here is some of our eqipment on display at the ADA (Association of Drainage Authorities) demonstration day
As framework contractors to the Environment Agency we have been carrying out many different projects throughout the year. Rob and his team have installed stilling tubes, rain gauges and bore hole caps at various sites in the South West. Other projects include restoration of fish passes, reservoir embankment maintenance and the installation of external steel electrical ducting using the AquaTractor work platform. The photo above is a weather station at Toller Down, Dorset.
Our Environmental Division spent some of the Autumn implementing a restoration programme on the River Avon in Wiltshire. This included the creation of islands, channel narrowing, pollarding and faggoting. The smiley bunch below are Matt, Greg and George. The other shot is the team at work constructing a willow groyne to speed up the flow.
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2006 saw the construction of a swimming pond for an existing client. Including a filtration system, hardwood deck and boardwalk, cascade, and, stainless steel fittings, the system is now awaiting planting. The complex yet easy to maintain filtration system maintains superb water clarity and employs both under gravel filtration and ultraviolet treatment. The filters are also fed by bottom drains and skimmer boxes to ensure that there is a good turnover of water, leaving no areas stagnant. Once the plants are established they will provide a nutrient sink for the whole system to reduce the amount of algae that forms. The photos above show the engineering work complete, awaiting planting and topsoiling. Also shown is the filtration scheme.
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Large pump de-silt project for a private client, Frome, Somerset. To give you an idea of what was involved, the photos show a before and after as well as work in progress. The pipeline from the pumps to the silt field was over 1 mile long!
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More work for the Environment Agency. This time we were contracted to build a number of access slips on a Somerset River.
Work for our Environmental team continued with the COWS project. This involves the maintenance of the Rivers Piddle, Ulwell, Corfe and Wey in Dorset.
We were asked by Arlington Business Parks to carry out some bank revetment at their Birmingham site. Our Maintenance team installed this close butted timber revetment to help prevent erosion caused by ducks and geese continually hauling in and out of the water.
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Working for Tom Stuart Smith, this time near Newbury for a private client, we are just completing a pond and cascade construction project. Working in some of the worst conditions we have encountered, our team have succeeded in producing exactly what the client wanted which included over 130 metres of stream with small rock outcrops. We also designed and built two composite bridges, designed to take a 5 ton load. Each was clad with green oak to Toms design. The pictures below are of work in progress.
To add to the diversity of projects we undertake, the photgraph above is of Nathan building a grotto for one of our clients. Incorporated within the stone are small water pipes to allow recirculated water to trickle down the internal walls, making them damp. Pockets of soil will be planted with ferns to further enhance its appearance.
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Silt pumping trials at a site in Bristol
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GRP lining and M&E installation, Carlton Drive, Putney. Above is during and after.
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Following the regeneration of the Horfield Brook in St Werberghs, Bristol by Kingcombe Aquacare, Kevin and Maretta provide some aquatic education to a group of local school children. The children were involved in the aquatic planting along the banks of the brook and encouraged to start "dipping" with nets to see what lived in their local stream.
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We were asked by the owners of Summer Lodge, Dorset to design and construct a water garden for their Hotel. The photos above show the end result and the weather conditions we enjoyed (!) during the construction phase.
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Our work with the RHS at Wisley became busier than ever during 2006, and a huge transformation can now be seen. We installed in the region of 4000 square metres of Firestone EPDM in the main reflecting lake outside the Bicentenary Glasshouse. We also continued with the ground works and the internal landscaping, including the planting of the large plants under the guidance of RHS staff. The photos above show much of the work in progress.
Nick and Zibi represented our company during the grand opening of the restored landscape at Lydiard Park, Swindon when HRH Princess Anne attended.
Our commitment to staff training continued in 2006 with colleagues receiving training for Emergency First Aid, Confined space training, CABWI Streetworks Scheme, Health and safety IOSH (managing health and safety), PAT (Portable Appliance Testing), Firestone EPDM installation training, Legionella awareness and risk assessment training, and, Staff Appraisal Training.
That's it for 2006, a lot of work in such a short space of time!