Grafham Water
Encyclopedia
Grafham Water is a reservoir with a circumference of about 10 miles (16.1 km). It is located between the villages of Grafham and Perry
in the English
county of Cambridgeshire
(Huntingdonshire District
).
The lake was created by filling a valley full of water which is retained by an earth and concrete dam
built in 1965 and is extracted and processed at an adjacent Anglian Water
treatment plant
before being piped away as drinking water
.
The water level can be controlled constantly via the pumps which pump water from the River Great Ouse
nearby. There are two pumping stations associated with the reservoir. One is located just behind the dam, the other at Offord Cluny
alongside the River Great Ouse. At times of high potential flood risk, Grafham Water treatment works can increase the amount of water it takes up to maximum capacity (330 Million litres a day...if its not already at maximum capacity) to help reduce the risk of flooding along the river.
The reservoir was immediately colonised by wildlife and a nature reserve surrounding the western side of the reservoir was soon created to help maintain and enhance the site's potential. The nature reserve contains semi-natural ancient (at least 400 years old) woodlands and more recent plantation woodlands, grasslands and wetland habitats such as reedbeds, willow and open water. As of January 2011, it was the only site in England, and the first in the UK, to harbour the invasive killer shrimp
(Dikerogammarus villosus).
Grafham Water is popular for a range of leisure activities including boating, fly fishing and cycling.
Activities at Grafham Water
Perry, Cambridgeshire
Perry is a small village in Cambridgeshire, England. It lies on the shore of a reservoir, Grafham Water, just a few miles from the market towns of St Neots and Huntingdon....
in the English
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...
county of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
(Huntingdonshire District
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
).
The lake was created by filling a valley full of water which is retained by an earth and concrete dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
built in 1965 and is extracted and processed at an adjacent Anglian Water
Anglian Water
Anglian Water is a privatised water company that operates in the East of England. Named for East Anglia, apart from Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire it also covers Lincolnshire, Essex, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, a small part of north Nottinghamshire and Greater London...
treatment plant
Water purification
Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from contaminated water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose...
before being piped away as drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
.
The water level can be controlled constantly via the pumps which pump water from the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
nearby. There are two pumping stations associated with the reservoir. One is located just behind the dam, the other at Offord Cluny
Offord Cluny
Offord Cluny is a small village in Cambridgeshire, England. It is approximately equidistant from the neighbouring towns of Huntingdon and St Neots, and 2 miles from the larger village of Buckden. It is the twin village of Offord D'Arcy, and although they historically both had their own parish...
alongside the River Great Ouse. At times of high potential flood risk, Grafham Water treatment works can increase the amount of water it takes up to maximum capacity (330 Million litres a day...if its not already at maximum capacity) to help reduce the risk of flooding along the river.
The reservoir was immediately colonised by wildlife and a nature reserve surrounding the western side of the reservoir was soon created to help maintain and enhance the site's potential. The nature reserve contains semi-natural ancient (at least 400 years old) woodlands and more recent plantation woodlands, grasslands and wetland habitats such as reedbeds, willow and open water. As of January 2011, it was the only site in England, and the first in the UK, to harbour the invasive killer shrimp
Dikerogammarus villosus
Dikerogammarus villosus, also known as the killer shrimp, is a species of amphipod crustacean native to the Ponto-Caspian region of eastern Europe, but which has become invasive across the western part of the continent. In the areas it has invaded, it lives in a wide range of habitats and will kill...
(Dikerogammarus villosus).
Grafham Water is popular for a range of leisure activities including boating, fly fishing and cycling.
| Grafham Water | |
 |
|
| Location | Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right... , UK |
| Area | 1,500 acres (6.07 km²) |
| Volume | 50,000,000 m³ |
| Owners | Anglian Water Anglian Water Anglian Water is a privatised water company that operates in the East of England. Named for East Anglia, apart from Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire it also covers Lincolnshire, Essex, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, a small part of north Nottinghamshire and Greater London... |
| Nature Reserve Managers | The Wildlife Trust |
| SSSI Ref | 1002739 |
External links
Nature Reserve & WildlifeActivities at Grafham Water