Dowdeswell Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Dowdeswell Reservoir and water treatment works lie below the parish of Dowdeswell
in Gloucestershire
. They were originally built by Cheltenham Corporation to supply the town of Cheltenham
with drinking water (since 1886) and subsequently became part of the Severn Trent
network.
and is managed as a 'balancing pond' for the water catchment from the east end of the valley.
Severn Trent closed the water treatment works with the commissioning of the Mythe Treatment Works
on the river Severn, and the reservoir itself became a flood storage reservoir for the River Chelt
in an attempt to protect the town of Cheltenham from flooding from the east. The town nonetheless suffered flooding in the July 2007 floods
though this was not only from the river Chelt at Dowdeswell, but from all the streams which join the Chelt within the town and its outskirts. The Dowdeswell 'balancing pond' only deals with the Chelt (really a stream at this point in its life), Dowdeswell stream and runoff from the limestone scarp.
These were established as a nature reserve with the Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation (now the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
) in 1973 under agreement with the North-West Gloucestershire Water Board originally.
The main body of body supports many resident and wintering wildfowl: Moorhen
, Coot
, Mallard
and Little Grebe
and Great Crested Grebes
regularly breed. The surrounding habits provide nesting sites. There is a significant aquatic and grassland flora including grassland supporting Common Spotted Orchid
, Pyramidal Orchid
and Cowslip
. The reservoir is a major spawning ground for the Common Toad
and there are signs which are opened each year at migration time on the A40 which runs alongside the reservoir. There are two toads tunnels from the south side of the A40 into the reservoir grassland.
The reservoir supports the native crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) which is protected on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. During the engineering works under taken in 1998 Severn Trent put in place a management programme for the protection of this white-clawed crayfish.
The associated water treatment yards historically have supported a significant flowering area of Autumn Lady's Tresses
.
Scobb’s Grove is a separate copse of damp Ash, Alder
, Hazel
and Willow
woodland containing fern
s, Small Teasel and Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage. It has an interesting bird life including Owl
s.
There is currently no lease agreement for these areas with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
Dowdeswell Wood
This wood lies on the northern slopes of the Chelt valley and one mile east of Charlton Kings
. The wood forms part of the gathering grounds for Dowdeswell Reservoir and became an extension to this reserve in 1992 under agreement with Severn Trent.
Extensive management work was carried out and a way-marked series of paths were created accessible from the Cotswold Way national trail
.
The character of this wood was changed dramatically in the 1950s and subsequently by replacing with conifers following felling of mature Oak
, Ash, Beech
and many diseased Elm
s. Replanting work has replaced conifers for broad-leaf
.
A good ground flora is present mostly in the broad-leaved areas. Bluebell
, Yellow Archangel
, Wood Anemone
, Moschatel
, Early-purple Orchid
and Ramsons
(wood garlic). There are Roman Snails in a site of a Roman Settlement in the north of the wood. The Common Dormouse is present as are Roe
and Muntjac deer
.
There is currently no lease agreement for these areas with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
Publications
Dowdeswell
Dowdeswell is a civil parish in the ward of Chedworth, Cotswold, in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, England. It is separated into Upper and Lower Dowdeswell, the former being south of the latter....
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. They were originally built by Cheltenham Corporation to supply the town of Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
with drinking water (since 1886) and subsequently became part of the Severn Trent
Severn Trent
Severn Trent plc is a British public utility. It is traded on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.Severn Trent is a group of companies employing more than 15,000 people across the UK, US and mainland Europe, with some involvement in the Middle East.The main...
network.
History
It is currently owned and managed by the Environment AgencyEnvironment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
and is managed as a 'balancing pond' for the water catchment from the east end of the valley.
Severn Trent closed the water treatment works with the commissioning of the Mythe Treatment Works
Mythe Water Treatment Works
The Mythe Water Treatment Works in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England is a facility which treats water drawn from the river SevernOn the 1 March 2002 Severn Trent water worked with local councilors to create an emergency plan, which was supposed to ensure that in the state of emergency their...
on the river Severn, and the reservoir itself became a flood storage reservoir for the River Chelt
River Chelt
The River Chelt is a tributary of England's largest river, the Severn. The Chelt flows through the western edge of the Cotswolds and the town of Cheltenham, before its confluence with the river Severn at Wainlodes Hill...
in an attempt to protect the town of Cheltenham from flooding from the east. The town nonetheless suffered flooding in the July 2007 floods
2007 United Kingdom floods
The 2007 United Kingdom floods were a series of destructive floods that occurred in various areas across the country during the summer of 2007. The most severe floods occurred across Northern Ireland on 12 June; East Yorkshire and The Midlands on 15 June; Yorkshire, The Midlands, Gloucestershire,...
though this was not only from the river Chelt at Dowdeswell, but from all the streams which join the Chelt within the town and its outskirts. The Dowdeswell 'balancing pond' only deals with the Chelt (really a stream at this point in its life), Dowdeswell stream and runoff from the limestone scarp.
Dowdeswell Reservoir and Wood nature reserves
The Reservoir, Residuum and Scobb’s GroveThese were established as a nature reserve with the Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation (now the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is the Gloucestershire local partner in a conservation network of 47 Wildlife Trusts. The Wildlife Trusts are local charities with the specific aim of protecting the United Kingdom's natural heritage...
) in 1973 under agreement with the North-West Gloucestershire Water Board originally.
The main body of body supports many resident and wintering wildfowl: Moorhen
Moorhen
Moorhens, sometimes called marsh hens, are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Gallinula....
, Coot
Coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water...
, Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
and Little Grebe
Little Grebe
The Little Grebe , also known as Dabchick, member of the grebe family of water birds. At 23 to 29 cm in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.-Description:The Little Grebe is a small water bird with a pointed...
and Great Crested Grebes
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
regularly breed. The surrounding habits provide nesting sites. There is a significant aquatic and grassland flora including grassland supporting Common Spotted Orchid
Common spotted orchid
The Common Spotted-orchid is acommonly occurring species of European orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes...
, Pyramidal Orchid
Pyramidal orchid
The Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis, is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Genus Anacamptis of the family Orchidaceae...
and Cowslip
Primula veris
Primula veris is a flowering plant in the genus Primula. The species is found throughout most of temperate Europe and Asia, and although absent from more northerly areas including much of northwest Scotland, it reappears in northernmost Sutherland and Orkney.-Names:The common name cowslip derives...
. The reservoir is a major spawning ground for the Common Toad
Common Toad
The common toad or European toad is an amphibian widespread throughout Europe, with the exception of Iceland, Ireland and some Mediterranean islands...
and there are signs which are opened each year at migration time on the A40 which runs alongside the reservoir. There are two toads tunnels from the south side of the A40 into the reservoir grassland.
The reservoir supports the native crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) which is protected on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. During the engineering works under taken in 1998 Severn Trent put in place a management programme for the protection of this white-clawed crayfish.
The associated water treatment yards historically have supported a significant flowering area of Autumn Lady's Tresses
Autumn Ladies'-tresses
Spiranthes spiralis, commonly known as Autumn Lady's-tresses, is the latest-blooming native species of orchid, blooming in August and September. It is characterised by a spiral inflorescence produced after the leaves have died down. The inflorescence can be very small especially in short grazed...
.
Scobb’s Grove is a separate copse of damp Ash, Alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, Hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
and Willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
woodland containing fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s, Small Teasel and Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage. It has an interesting bird life including Owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s.
There is currently no lease agreement for these areas with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
Dowdeswell Wood
This wood lies on the northern slopes of the Chelt valley and one mile east of Charlton Kings
Charlton Kings
Charlton Kings is a suburb of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, England. The area constitutes a civil parish. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 coming into force on April 1, 1974, it had been an urban district...
. The wood forms part of the gathering grounds for Dowdeswell Reservoir and became an extension to this reserve in 1992 under agreement with Severn Trent.
Extensive management work was carried out and a way-marked series of paths were created accessible from the Cotswold Way national trail
Cotswold Way
The Cotswold Way is a long-distance footpath, running along the Cotswold Edge escarpment of the Cotswold Hills in England. It was officially inaugurated as a National Trail on 24 May 2007 and several new rights of way have been created.-History:...
.
The character of this wood was changed dramatically in the 1950s and subsequently by replacing with conifers following felling of mature Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, Ash, Beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and many diseased Elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
s. Replanting work has replaced conifers for broad-leaf
Broad-leaved tree
A broad-leaved tree or broad-leaf tree or broadleaf tree is any tree that has wide leaves, rather than slim, needle-like leaves as found in conifers...
.
A good ground flora is present mostly in the broad-leaved areas. Bluebell
Bluebell
-Plants:* genus Hyacinthoides** Common Bluebell ** Spanish Bluebell * genus Mertensia** Virginia Bluebell * Scottish Bluebell...
, Yellow Archangel
Yellow Archangel
Lamium galeobdolon, commonly known as yellow archangel, is a widespread wildflower in Europe, and has been introduced elsewhere as a garden plant. It displays the zygomorphic flower morphology, opposite leaves, and square stem typical of the mint family, Lamiaceae...
, Wood Anemone
Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves...
, Moschatel
Moschatel
Adoxa moschatellina is the sole member of the genus Adoxa. It grows in hedgerows throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, in cool forests, at low altitudes in the far north, to high altitudes in mountains in the south of its range...
, Early-purple Orchid
Early Purple Orchid
Orchis mascula, the Early Purple Orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus Orchis.-Etymology:The specific name is derived from the Latin "masculus", meaning "male" or "virile" and it should refer to the robust aspect of this species or to the shape of the tubers, similar to a pair of...
and Ramsons
Ramsons
Ramsons — also known as buckrams, wild garlic, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic, bear leek, and bear's garlic — is a wild relative of chives native to Europe and Asia...
(wood garlic). There are Roman Snails in a site of a Roman Settlement in the north of the wood. The Common Dormouse is present as are Roe
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
and Muntjac deer
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
.
There is currently no lease agreement for these areas with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
Publications
- Atty, D, Haigh, D J R, Holland, Sonia, Long, D C, Porter, Steve (edited Miller, John, illustrated Ball, Arthur), October 1987, 'Plants and Animals of the Dowdeswell Reservoir Nature Reserve', Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation
- Ball, Arthur, Barber, Bruce, undated, 'The Birds of Dowdeswell Reservoir Nature Reserve', The Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation
- Ball, Arthur, 1987 to 2009, Dowdeswell Reservoir Nature Reserve Annual Bird Reports
- Crayfish Consultants International Ltd, 'Conservation of the native crayfish population at Dowdeswell Reservoir during engineering works', March 1998, prepared for Severn Trent Water (Conservation Officer: Jan Phillips)
- 'Nature Reserves of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust', first issued in 1990, reissued in July 2002 (includes Dowdeswell Reservoir and Dowdeswell Wood entries)