The latest water testing has shown that water conditions have not improved, but have stopped deteriorating as sharply as at the start of October.
Ammonia level has risen to 0.25 mg/L, but appears to have stabilised over the last two weeks. Oxygen levels also appear to have stopped declining in the last week (5.8 mg/L and 55 % sat. at 12.8 °C).
For the latest water chemistry testing data and trends since February, please go to the Darlow Water Parameters page.
Week-to-week fluctuations in readings should always be treated with caution, instead look at trends over several weeks. For the lake to return to good health we need to see ammonia levels fall to undetectable levels, which should also mean an increase in nitrate – this shows us that the nitrogen cycle is working. Oxygen levels will hopefully increase as temperature falls and there is more water movement during the winter months (as a comparison, the river oxygen levels in October were 9.5 mg/L and 89 % sat. at 12.9 °C).
