Derwent Reservoir, North East England
Encyclopedia
Derwent Reservoir is a reservoir
on the River Derwent
, on the border between County Durham
and Northumberland
, in England
. It is west of Consett
.
The reservoir is a key part of the water supply network in north east England
(which is owned and managed by Northumbrian Water
) as it is the principal water source for the Tyne and Wear
metropolitan area.
The flow of the River Derwent can be supplemented, when necessary, by water transferred from the much larger Kielder Water
in Northumberland. However this cannot top up the reservoir itself.
Sediment within the reservoir has been found to contain elevated levels of zinc
, lead
and cadmium
. These have drained into the reservoir from areas of previous mining activity around Blanchland
. Subsequently, populations of macroscopic plants in the reservoir are relatively low.
Derwent Reservoir also hosts a sailing club, which holds many events throughout the year, including windsurfing
, sailing
, running and triathlon
s.
The reservoir also has hydro electric plant installed, with a rating of 97 kilowatts.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
on the River Derwent
River Derwent, North East England
The River Derwent is a river on the border between County Durham and Northumberland in the north east of England. It broadens into the Derwent Reservoir, west of Consett. The Derwent is a tributary of the River Tyne, which it joins near the MetroCentre...
, on the border between County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
and Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is west of Consett
Consett
Consett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
.
The reservoir is a key part of the water supply network in north east England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(which is owned and managed by Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water Group plc is the holding company for several companies in the water supply, sewerage and waste water industries. NWG's largest subsidiary is Northumbrian Water Limited , which is one of ten companies in England and Wales that are regulated water supply and sewerage utilities...
) as it is the principal water source for the Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
metropolitan area.
The flow of the River Derwent can be supplemented, when necessary, by water transferred from the much larger Kielder Water
Kielder Water
Kielder Water is a large artificial reservoir in Northumberland in North East England. It is the largest artificial lake in the United Kingdom by capacity and it is surrounded by Kielder Forest, the largest human-made woodland in Europe. It was planned in the late 1960s to satisfy an expected rise...
in Northumberland. However this cannot top up the reservoir itself.
Sediment within the reservoir has been found to contain elevated levels of zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and cadmium
Cadmium
Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Similar to zinc, it prefers oxidation state +2 in most of its compounds and similar to mercury it shows a low...
. These have drained into the reservoir from areas of previous mining activity around Blanchland
Blanchland
Blanchland is a model village in Northumberland, England, right on the County Durham boundary with picturesque houses, set against a backdrop of deep woods and open moors....
. Subsequently, populations of macroscopic plants in the reservoir are relatively low.
Derwent Reservoir also hosts a sailing club, which holds many events throughout the year, including windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, running and triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
s.
The reservoir also has hydro electric plant installed, with a rating of 97 kilowatts.