Apparently crying is not enough to create and maintain a river, or at least not a healthy one! On 12 September 2023, my NUS GE3255 classmates and I headed to Bishan Ang Mo Kio (BAMK) Park for a field trip led by Dr Gretchen Coffman and Kyle Weston. There, we learnt about the many considerations taken into transforming a section of the Kallang River from a dull canal into a river full of life!

We began at a bridge over the river. While the view from one side was of the restored river, the other side appeared stuck in the past as it was still canalised (Figure 1). From here, we could see how the narrow and straight canal had been stripped of its concrete slabs, now meanders, and has greater width. This increases the river’s capacity, reducing risk of flooding which the urban area is prone to.

 

Figure 1: Restored Kallang River at BAMK Park as viewed from the bridge (left) and remaining canal at BAMK Park as viewed from the other side of the same bridge (right).
Taken by: Shreeyaa Subra.

If you have been to BAMK Park, the caged rocks by the bank should be a familiar sight. But ever wonder what they are even there for? Well, these are gabions that serve as a stable barrier to protect the river from erosion (Figure 2). We were introduced to plenty of other soil bioengineering techniques called Earth Control  Measures (ECMs) in Singapore in place to stabilise the stream banks, demonstrating the efforts to maintain and improve the naturalised river.

Figure 2: Gabions along the restored Kallang River at BAMK.
Taken by: Shreeyaa Subra.

With restoration, the river and its banks are lined with vegetation. Wildlife appear to have benefited as they have better habitat and we managed to catch just some of these magnificent animals that now call BAMK home (Figure 3). Although, as Dr Gretchen shared, an improvement could be to include more native vegetation in future development of BAMK or other restorative projects to improve the river’s ecological function.

Figure 3: (from left to right) Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus), White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), and Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea).
Taken by: Shreeyaa Subra.

As we moved down the river, we watched a young family slowly cross the stream by hopping between rocks (Figure 4). Throughout the field trip, it was heartwarming to see many others like them use the space for recreation and bonding. This goes to show that in the restoration design of the river, opportunities for park goers to use the space to deepen their connection with the environment and with one another were kept in mind too.

Figure 4: Crossing consisting of big rocks along the river.
Taken by: Shreeyaa Subra.

Overall, I found the many considerations taken in the restoration at BAMK to be an inspirational starting point for future improved restoration projects. Hopefully, the social and ecological benefits demonstrated encourage more of such projects for other canals around Singapore. So, do keep a lookout for these many features at BAMK and other rivers around Singapore too!