Staatsbosbeheer is pumping out the Kibbelkoele in Noord-Sleen. The recreational lake is thoroughly cleaned once every six years, with the drained water flowing through a ditch towards Kibbelveen.
The cleaning is intended to prevent bacteria and diseases, such as blue-green algae. After the lake has been drained, waste and sludge are removed from the bottom. The culverts – the water passages under the banks – will also receive maintenance.
“We temporarily close some culverts, so that the water will all flow in the same direction towards the canal,” says Winters. Then comes the real cleaning work. And that is not an unnecessary luxury. “It’s actually all rubbish. Leaf litter, sunscreen residue, mud – we remove that. This leaves a nice, loamy soil.”
After the work, the lake will fill up with groundwater again, after which recreationists can again enjoy clear water and a clean swimming lake next summer.