The endangered fish species De Beekprik threatens to disappear from the De Liskes nature reserve near Bergeijk. Due to persistent drought and beaver dams that stop the water, the stream is about to fall the liskes of the stream run completely dry. “It is no longer flows,” says Droog coordinator Lonneke Schilte of the De Dommel Water Board. “A few more days and then it drove dry.”
The water board believes that a worrying development. The rare stream prick lives in the stream, a fish species that is threatened with extinction. “The stream pricks are in the soil, but if the stream falls dry, it can no longer go anywhere,” says Droert coordinator Schilte. “If we were to lose a population of brook prick here, that is very dramatic.” Other protected or rare animals such as the lobe, tube teachers and certain dragonflies also have a hard time due to the shortage of water.
Fierce
The stream run depends on rain to keep the streams filled. “If it doesn’t rain, we see our streams falling one by one. Currently there is also little water from Belgium. There are a few areas that we really have to intervene,” explains Schilte. Other places where little water flows are the Reusel, Keersop, Beerze and Tongelreep. In some places you can even see dead fish.
Emergency measures are taken at a few locations, including the Liskes. “We only need a very small stream of water, but just like that it continues to flow and that it is not completely dry. That is enough to save the stream prick.”
The water board therefore pumps groundwater from Friday to provide the stream with sufficient water. That is quite a fierce measure, the drought coordinator acknowledges. “But it’s the only solution we still see.”
In addition to the drought, beaver dams also form a problem. They stop the water, thereby even further impedes the natural flow of the stream, which is located on a slope. Schilte is therefore concerned whether the measures are sufficient.
If the situation does not improve, the stream pricks may have to be transferred to Eersel. But that too is no guarantee of success. “You can’t save everything. A part would not survive,” says the drought coordinator.