Given that the University Lake is currently maintained by pouring in 12 million litres of tap water each year, the Vice-Chancellor has invited the University community to discuss the issue of the Lake’s sustainability.
Please see his blog entry here.
The lake was created not only as a focal point but also as a flood control for the areas below the Uni.. Historically the area of Laffer’s Triangle and the nearby areas were often flooded in heavy rain and this has been circumvented by construction of the lake. It used to be filled by waste water from equipment in Chemistry which dumped water into the rain water system which aids in keeping the lake filled. Unfortunately there has been little rain. When the Uni was opened the lake was filled but drained almost immediately. It was then lined with a special clay in order to minimise this.It is a lot of water to keep it full but in my opinion unless it is critical for saving money it should be kept topped up. I have always been annoyed by the notice by the lake which says that the dam wall was created by excavations for carpark 1. This is clearly not correct. Examination of the North Ridge shows that it has been severely cut on the western side to create the underpass and the area further west. Also the former plaza area was cut from the ridge and the space for the library. Likewise the South Ridge has been excavated to create the space for Biology and the flat area in front of physical sciences. This provided enough soil for the dam wall. I stood on the North Ridge before it was cut and so I have an idea of how much the ridge was levelled. Dr Malcolm Thompson