Trip to MacRitchie Reservoir Park

In the second term, we went on a learning excursion to MacRitchie Reservoir, to learn about the ecosystem there. We started at the amenities centre, where we waited for a few classmates. When they arrived, we set off at once, taking the Prunus trail. Ms Ting, our replacement teacher for a term, led us through the trail.

At the first location we reached, we looked around and observed the surrounding scenery, ticking down what we could observe; the reservoir, the forest reserve, the bandstand, the dam, fishing areas, kayak lanes and the amenities centre. Since the second location was currently under construction, we headed for the third location.

There, we observed and checked the water quality. There was almost no debris and smell in the water, with a clear colour and 0 turbidity. The temperature of the water was 25 degrees, and the ph level was 6.35, which is healthy.

Next was the kayak platform, where we met some of our classmates (in canoeing cca) There, we also observed various trees and plants that were present in MacRitchie Reservoir. We also walked a little bit into the forest fringe. Unfortunately, we did not observe any monkeys. On the way back, we observed the various fishes present in the reservoir.

Our last stop was the reservoir deck, where we were shown about some methods and ways that water was saved in MacRitchie, like a pipe leading from the car park where rainwater would enter, to the planter box with filter media. In addition, we also learnt about filtration, and attempted to spot the gully trap that was present at the reservoir deck.

The day ended off with Ms Ting treating us to free ice cream in the cafe nearby :D. I feel that this was a really educational trip, as I could get the chance to learn outdoors, instead of just sitting in the same old boring classroom everyday. This was also a rare chance for me to get to see animals in their habitats, as I rarely go outdoors(excluding school). I also learnt a lot through  this excursion, about sustainable water, habitats, checking water quality, and the water management facilities found in MacRitchie. For example, when it rains, the runoff water collects in the reservoir. The dam barricades the water in, while the spillway is a section of the dam that controls flooding in rainy seasons. The draw-off tower draws water to the pumping station, where the water treatment plant treats the water. The water will then be distributed to homes, public buildings and industries for usage.