King George V Reservoir
Encyclopedia
The King George V Reservoir, also known as King George's Reservoir, is located in the London Borough of Enfield
and is part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain
that supplies London
with drinking water. The storage reservoir is bordered by Sewardstone
and Chingford
to the east and Brimsdown
and Ponders End
to the west, and covers 420 acres (170 hectares), making it the largest in London. The reservoir and the nearby William Girling Reservoir
are known collectively as the Chingford Reservoirs
, and are owned and managed by Thames Water
.
and was laid before the Royal Commission on Water Supply (Balfour Committee) in 1893. At this time the responsible authority was the East London Waterworks Company
. However, under the Provisions of the Metropolis Water Act of 1902, the undertakings of this as well as seven other companies were transferred to the Metropolitan Water Board.
Construction was started in 1908 and completed in 1912. The reservoir was opened by H.M.King George V
in 1913, hence the name.
The reservoir was formed by the construction of a continuous embankment on the floodplain
of the River Lea at Chingford
. An earth embankment divides the reservoir into two compartments that are connected by three large diameter culvert
s. The external grassed embankment consists of a central puddle clay core with shoulder filling comprising a mixture of river terraced gravels and alluvial deposits.
Located in the NW corner is the original inlet pumping station
by W.B. Bryan and finished in red brick and Portland stone
. Still in situ are three of the five gas-fuelled liquid-piston pumps designed by H A Humphrey. In 1970 these were made redundant by the installation of a vertical spindle electric pump.
(SSSI). The reservoir is a major wintering ground for wildfowl and wetland
birds, including nationally important numbers of some species. The water also forms a moult refuge for a large population of wildfowl during the late summer months. A total of 85 wetland species have been recorded here in recent years.
Club. Permits and a key are required to visit the water. Both can be obtained from Thames Water.
and the River Lee Diversion
.
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
and is part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain
Lee Valley Reservoir Chain
The Lee Valley Reservoir Chain is located in the Lee Valley, and comprises 13 reservoirs that supply drinking water to London.- Reservoirs :The following waters are located in the London Borough of Enfield and are known collectively as the Chingford Reservoirs, which are a Site of Special...
that supplies London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with drinking water. The storage reservoir is bordered by Sewardstone
Sewardstone
Sewardstone is a place in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England.It is located 11.6 miles north north-east of Charing Cross and is the only area outside Greater London to be covered by a London postcode district . The area consists of scattered development with large sections of open land...
and Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
to the east and Brimsdown
Brimsdown
Brimsdown is a place in the London Borough of Enfield, North London generally known as the Lea Valley. The Brimsdown area is roughly located in the area either side of Mollison Avenue, to Bilton Way, just south of Ordnance Road, extending as far south as the Mollison Avenue/Jeffreys Road roundabout...
and Ponders End
Ponders End
Ponders End is a place in the London Borough of Enfield, North London located in an area generally known as the Lea Valley. It is roughly located in the area either side of Hertford Road between The Ride and the Boundary Public House and Wharf Road and the Southbury railway station/Kingsway...
to the west, and covers 420 acres (170 hectares), making it the largest in London. The reservoir and the nearby William Girling Reservoir
William Girling Reservoir
The William Girling Reservoir is located in the London Borough of Enfield and is part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain that supplies London with drinking water. It is named after William Girling OBE, a chairman of the Metropolitan Water Board . The reservoir and the nearby King George V Reservoir...
are known collectively as the Chingford Reservoirs
Chingford Reservoirs
The Chingford Reservoirs is the collective name for the King George V Reservoir and the William Girling Reservoir, which form part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain. They were constructed by John Mowlem & Co.They are a Site of Special Scientific Interest....
, and are owned and managed by Thames Water
Thames Water
Thames Water Utilities Ltd, known as Thames Water, is the private utility company responsible for the public water supply and waste water treatment in large parts of Greater London, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Kent, and some other areas of in the United Kingdom...
.
History
The reservoir was conceived as part of an overall plan for the Lea ValleyLea Valley
The Lea Valley, the valley of the River Lea, has been used as a transport corridor, a source of sand and gravel, an industrial area, a water supply for London, and a recreational area...
and was laid before the Royal Commission on Water Supply (Balfour Committee) in 1893. At this time the responsible authority was the East London Waterworks Company
East London Waterworks Company
The East London Waterworks Company was one of eight private water companies in London absorbed by the Metropolitan Water Board in 1904.The company was founded by Act of Parliament in 1806, and in 1845 the limits of supply were described as "all those portions of the Metropolis, and its suburbs,...
. However, under the Provisions of the Metropolis Water Act of 1902, the undertakings of this as well as seven other companies were transferred to the Metropolitan Water Board.
Construction was started in 1908 and completed in 1912. The reservoir was opened by H.M.King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in 1913, hence the name.
Description
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
of the River Lea at Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
. An earth embankment divides the reservoir into two compartments that are connected by three large diameter culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
s. The external grassed embankment consists of a central puddle clay core with shoulder filling comprising a mixture of river terraced gravels and alluvial deposits.
Located in the NW corner is the original inlet pumping station
Pumping station
Pumping stations are facilities including pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure systems, such as the supply of water to canals, the drainage of low-lying land, and the removal of sewage to processing sites.A pumping station...
by W.B. Bryan and finished in red brick and Portland stone
Portland stone
Portland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles, notably in major...
. Still in situ are three of the five gas-fuelled liquid-piston pumps designed by H A Humphrey. In 1970 these were made redundant by the installation of a vertical spindle electric pump.
Ecology
The water is a Site of Special Scientific InterestSite of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI). The reservoir is a major wintering ground for wildfowl and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
birds, including nationally important numbers of some species. The water also forms a moult refuge for a large population of wildfowl during the late summer months. A total of 85 wetland species have been recorded here in recent years.
Recreation
The reservoir is popular with birdwatchers, and is home to the King George SailingSailing
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...
Club. Permits and a key are required to visit the water. Both can be obtained from Thames Water.
Water supply
Water is supplied to the reservoir from the New RiverNew River (England)
The New River is an artificial waterway in England, opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from the River Lea and from Amwell Springs , and other springs and wells along its course....
and the River Lee Diversion
River Lee Diversion
The River Lee Diversion is located in the Lea Valley, close to Enfield Lock and to the north east corner of the King George V Reservoir.- History :...
.
Access
Vehicular access is at Lea Valley Road A110- Ponders End railway stationPonders End railway stationPonders End railway station is in the London Borough of Enfield in north east London at Ponders End, and is in Travelcard Zone 5, on the Tottenham Hale branch of the Lea Valley Lines, north of London Liverpool Street. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by National Express East...
Literature
- A Poacher's Tale. Told by A.T. Curtis. Related by Fred J SpeakmanFred J SpeakmanFred J Speakman was an English naturalist and author. He was one of Britain's best known naturalist-authors in the 1960s.- Life :...
. Includes several references to the reservoir. ISBN 0-7135-0969-4. Published 1960 by George Bell & SonsGeorge Bell & SonsGeorge Bell & Sons was a book publishing house located in London, United Kingdom, from 1839 to 1986. It was founded by George Bell as an educational bookseller, with the intention of selling the output of London university presses; but became best known as an independent publisher of classics and...
. - An Edmonton Boy by Terry Webb. Reference to the reservoir on page 36. ISBN 1-903981-00-X. Published 2000 by Biograph.