water voles tunneling through pondliner!

scchidham · #1 (**permalink**) 12-02-2011, 11:04 AM

we have water voles in our pond.. the slight problem is they keep chewing through our pond liner with their below water, exit tunnels so the water level gets lower and lower... I'm running out of ideas of what to do to keep the water in... and keep the water voles going. Is this a mad idea to try building them some exit tunnels through the liner?? Was wondering about some flexible tubing sealed to the pond liner that then ran up towards the surface. We have a greenseal pondliner and dont know what glue would be best to use. THe voles will probably hate it.. and dig more holes.. mmmmm... anyone got any ideas.... we know they're protected++

nightshade · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2011, 11:26 AM

I think your best bet is as you suggested pass a tube through the liner.
You may get away with using a short plastic nipple (2"-3"diam.) with a plastic nut and washer either side most pond suppliers should be able to advise and supply

camo · #3 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 10:12 AM

Hi Scchidham

You are in a predicament WV are protected and therefore you cant do anything to disturb them however your pond will utlimately prove to be non sustainable as a WV habitat. WV will create tunnel entrances around the water level and the reducing levels would suggest continual damage to the liner. Long term unless the pond holds water without a liner it must dry up and the WV will revert to the local stream. I would presume the WV have a local metapopulation and their outlying families can be very mobile. It is quite normal to have WV one year and for them to move on the next year. To my mind the best thing your WV can do is to revert to their sustainable habitat. My advice would be for you to be patient leave the WV to work out for themselves that your pond is not right,

In the mean time I will be very envious of your ultimate Garden accessary.

Roy

vole-woman · #4 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 12:18 PM

Oh, me too!

Billy Wobble Dagger · #5 (**permalink**) 14-02-2011, 07:50 AM

And me.

If you try the man made burrow exit, tubing the diameter of a pringles tube would be ideal.

(Please note, other crisps in a tube are available)

BWD

dampflippers · #6 (**permalink**) 14-02-2011, 08:32 PM

You are soo lucky...but all I can suggest is:

Build another clay lined pond (keeping the old one) with mounds around the edge.
Or
Build a new lined pond, but make it much bigger and build soil banks within the lined area. So at one end you will need about 2 metres extra length, and you'll need a couple of feet of soil underwater for their submerged burrow and mound for other chambers and burrows.

If you do a search you should be able to find cross sections of their burrow systems.

You could ask people doing research into watervoles if they can offer advice.

dampflippers · #7 (**permalink**) 16-02-2011, 09:16 AM

I found this factsheet which might help.
It includes a diagram of their burrows:
http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/education/watervoles.pdf

Jim Ford · #8 (**permalink**) 16-02-2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dampflippers

You are soo lucky...but all I can suggest is:

Build another clay lined pond (keeping the old one)

Yes, I guess a 'puddled' clay lined pond must be the way to go - but I wouldn't like to have to do the work!

Puddled clay ponds

Jim

nightshade · #9 (**permalink**) 16-02-2011, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Yes, I guess a 'puddled' clay lined pond must be the way to go - but I wouldn't like to have to do the work!

Puddled clay ponds

Jim

It made me smile, "but I wouldn't like to have to do the work!" I have just been looking at photos of Chew Valley Lake Resevoir and there are squads of people carrying buckets with balls of clay in. These were thown at their feet so each persons balls touched (I know, I know) then these were firmly trodden down to make the puddled clay lining.
How big is your pond