Woodhead Reservoir
| Woodhead Reservoir | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Location | Longdendale, Derbyshire |
| Coordinates | 53°29′37″N 1°52′06″W / 53.4936°N 1.8682°WCoordinates: 53°29′37″N 1°52′06″W / 53.4936°N 1.8682°W |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | River Etherow,Heyden Brook |
| Primary outflows | River Etherow |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Surface area | 135 acres (55 ha) |
| Max. depth | 71 ft (22 m) |
| Water volume | 1,181 million imperial gallons (5.37 Gl) |
| Surface elevation | 782 ft (238 m) |
Woodhead reservoir is a man-made lake near the hamlet of Woodhead in Longdendale in north Derbyshire. It was constructed by John Frederick Bateman between 1847 and June 1877 as part of the Longdendale chain to supply water from the River Etherow to the urban areas of Greater Manchester. It is at the top of the chain of reservoirs and was the first to be started, though, due to construction problems, it was the last to be completed.
The Manchester Corporation Waterworks Act 1847 gave permission for the construction of the Woodhead and Arnfield reservoirs and the aqueduct of the Mottram Tunnel. The Manchester Corporation Waterworks Act 1848 allowed the construction of Torside and Rhodeswood Reservoir, and an aqueduct to convey the water from Rhodeswood to the Arnfield reservoir. These acts were important, as mill owners relied for their livings on water to power their mills and any potential reduction of supply was opposed. The acts guaranteed a flow of 121 million gallons a week.
The construction of the Woodhead Embankment was ambitious and fraught with difficulties. The embankment was to be about 90 feet (27 m) in height; it was sealed to the underlying impermeable rock by a central impermeable clay puddle core or curtain. This was supported on each side by selected strong earth material, and then gravel to form a slope of 1 in 1 upstream and 1 in 2 downstream. The upstream would be pitched, and faced in stone. The turnpike would pass over the crest. Drinking water would be extracted by means of a tunnel from several metres below the water level, while when full, excess water would pass over the overspill or waste weir.
Work started in 1848. The Heyden Viaduct, now known as the Woodhead Bridge, was completed in 1851, and turned over to the Salters Brook turnpike road that year. The Woodhead embankment was 20 feet (6 m) from completion. Discharge valves had been supplied by Messrs Armstrong and Co, of Newcastle upon Tyne. There was some leakage but on 10 May 1854 the Woodhead Reservoir was declared complete, with the exception of remedying the leak.
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