Perth council probe as second city pond runs dry

The Norie-Miller Walk problem follows similar complaints about the pond at Perth's South Inch

By Morag Lindsay

July 29 2024, 6:00am

The water safety notice at the Norie-Miller walk pond is sadly redundant. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson

Council chiefs are investigating after a second Perth pond ran dry.

The duck pond is normally one of the most popular features of the Norie-Miller walk beside the River Tay.

But it currently contains no water.

And the ducks and other wildlife are nowhere to be seen.

It comes after the boating pond at the South Inch dried up too.

In that case, the problem was identified as a suspected blockage in the pipe that feeds water to the pond from the Craigie burn.

The Norie-Miller issue has yet to be solved.

Dried out pond at Norie-Miller walk, Perth — No water to be seen at the pond on the Norie-Miller walk. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson

A council spokesperson told The Courier it was looking into it.

“We are investigating what has caused this so it can be addressed,” they said.

Not first time Norie-Miller Walk has run dry

The pond is on the opposite side of South Street from Rodney Gardens.

It is on two levels connected by a small rocky waterfall, with a wooden walkway alongside.

However, there was no water in either area this week.

Rocks between two ponds with no water running over them — No water in the Norie-Miller walk waterfall. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson

The muddy pond surface is exposed in some places.

And in others it is cracked and dried out completely.

Pond with vegetation but no water — The dried up lower pond. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson

There were complaints when the pond dried out in 2018.

On that occasion a pump had broken down, forcing the resident water birds to move on after the fish they had been feeding on died.

Perth and Kinross Council was criticised because it had recently spent £10,000 on LED lights and spotlights at the pond to make a feature of the water garden on darker evenings.

Specialists needed at South Inch Pond

Across the Tay, Perth residents say they have never seen the water level on the South Inch pond so low.

Pigeons standing beside muddy base of South Inch pond, drained of water — The South Inch pond has also been the subject of complaints. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

After The Courier raised locals’ concerns, the council confirmed local suspicions that the issue is down to a blockage in the pipe that feeds water from the Craigie Burn.

It says it needs specialist contractors to carry out the work.

Black and white photo of children playing by pond while people row boats across — The Boating Pond on the South Inch in the 1970s. Image: DC Thomson.

Speaking last week, a Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “It is not uncommon for ponds to dry up.

“When this has happened in previous years we have sought advice from the RSPB who have assured us this presents no risk to birds as they will move to the nearest watercourse.”