recognised by English Nature as a Local Nature Reserve, primarily because of its importance to migratory birds and the diversity of its plant life. From around 2000, the Dole started to become infested by the alien plant swamp stonecrop. The plant began to significantly reduce the value of the nature reserve to wading birds, so in 2005 major work was undertaken to remove it. The Dole was drained, all of the surface soil was removed and the area treated with herbicide before being allowed to return to marshland. As well as providing a habitat for wild birds the Dole also contains an orchid meadow in which heath spotted-orchids have established themselves, and there are breeding colonies of smooth and great crested newts. The etymology of the name Broad Ees Dole perhaps provides a clue to one of the past uses of this area. Ees describes a wetland, and Dole describes a plot of land allocated to the poor. Flood mitigation Sale Water Park lies within the floodplain of the River Mersey and plays a significant part in local flood defence. If the water level of the river rises dangerously high, then a sluice gate can be opened to allow water to flow from the river into the water park, where it can be stored until the floodwaters have passed. Sale Water Park is one of a number of similar flood basins in the area. Chorlton Water Park on the north side of the Mersey about upstream is another, along with areas in Didsbury and elsewhere. Monitoring the water level of the river and deciding when to open the sluice gates into the park is the responsibility of the Environment Agency. Recreation Trafford Water Sports Centre is situated on the edge of the lake. It was opened in 1988 and is operated on behalf of Trafford Council originally by Deckers, a private company but since has been taken over by Peak Education. The centre provides facilities and training in windsurfing, dinghy sailing and kayaking as well as offering two restaurants. The Sale Water Ski Club is also based at the lake. The lake is popular with local anglers, containing a wide variety of fresh water fish, such as carp, perch, roach, eel and catfish. Part of the lake has been reserved for the exclusive use of wildlife. On 7 November 2013, Trafford Council announced that the water sports centre would close