St Annes Boating Lake water levels under investigation amid repair and wildlife concerns

Fylde Council says it is investigating falling water levels at Fylde Council after residents raised concerns about the popular site.

Officers believe the reduction is likely due to historic structural repair failures in the lake bed, allowing water to escape, and say the situation is being closely monitored.

The authority says natural tidal replenishment is unlikely in the short term and would require a rare combination of high tides, strong westerly winds and low pressure.

As an interim step, it is exploring options to bring in a freshwater supply, although officials warn that any top-up would only provide limited relief given the scale of the loss with a 0.5m rise requiring around 2.5 million litres of water.

Longer-term work is being prepared to drain the lake fully so specialist contractors can carry out desilting and repairs with a provisional start date in mid-July depending on conditions.

A spokesperson from Fylde Council, said: “Due to the time of year, natural replenishment from incoming tides is not expected to be possible for at least a month, and would require a specific combination of high tides, strong westerly winds and low atmospheric pressure to provide a substantial fill.

“As an immediate measure, the Council is exploring options to temporarily replenish the lake using a fresh water supply. Discussions are currently taking place with several organisations and service providers to identify the most practical and effective solution.

“At the same time, work is underway to procure specialist contractors to undertake desilting and repair works to the lake. These works will require the lake to be fully drained to allow repairs to be completed safely and effectively.

“Subject to contractor availability and suitable tidal conditions, the Council is currently expecting this work to commence in mid-July, to coincide with the next high tide that could potentially replenish the lake levels subject to the correct environmental conditions.

“The welfare of wildlife at the lake remains an important consideration throughout this project, and officers will continue to monitor conditions closely while repairs are progressed.”

However, Brambles Wildlife Rescue says it has repeatedly raised concerns about safety at the site, including debris and low water levels, following an incident involving a cygnet last year.

A spokesperson from Brambles Wildlife Rescue, said on the swans: “Moving the family isn't as easy as it may look. Can we just remind people that swans are aggressive when they have young cygnets and a number of risks to peoples safety have to be considered first.

“That and separation of the family, however short, is incredibly stressful for these creatures.”

The organisation argues that relocating the swan family is not straightforward due to welfare risks, territorial behaviour and road safety concerns, and has called for clearer timescales from the council.