Ross Creek Reservoir
Encyclopedia
The Ross Creek Reservoir is an artificial lake in Dunedin
, New Zealand
. One of the oldest artificial lakes in the country, and the oldest water supply reservoir still in use in the country, it was created in the 1860s to provide water for the city of Dunedin, at that time in the middle of rapid expansion due to the Otago goldrush. Designed by engineer Ralph Donkin and supervising builder David Proudfoot, the reservoir was opened in 1867 as the Royal Albert Reservoir, but the name was unpopular and it has been known as the Ross Creek Reservoir for over a century.
The reservoir, dams, and picturesque valve tower have a New Zealand Historic Places Trust
Level I classification.
The reservoir is located in a heavily wooded valley in the suburb of Glenleith, four kilometres north of the city centre. Fed by a small stream, the Ross Creek — a tributary of the Water of Leith
— it is held behind two small dams, 23 metres and 10 metres in height. The base of the larger dam is 95 metres above sea level, with the water surface at approximately 115 metres ASL.
. The winding Burma Road runs through the reserve to the north and west of the reservoir. One of Dunedin's most popular golf courses, Balmacewen Golf Course, abuts the reserve's southwest corner. The highest point in the reserve, in its northeastern corner close to Tanner Road, is some 190 metres (623.4 ft) above sea level.
Numerous popular walking tracks lead to and circle the reservoir, and follow the course of the Ross Creek and its tributary, School Creek. Track counters have recorded as many as 4,000 walkers on the tracks per month, making them some of Dunedin's most well-used bush walks. The tracks are marked with stone markers, and a permanent orienteering
course is also marked numbered posts. The walks can be entered from various points along Burma and Tanner Roads, but the main entry is from lower down Ross Creek at Glenleith. A further track links the reserve with a walkway which follows the course of the Water of Leith
past a former quarry to link with tracks which run through Woodhaugh Gardens at the mouth of the Leith Valley
0.9 kilometre (0.559235462984826 mi) to the southeast.
Notable features of the reserve — other than the reservoir — include a waterfall which cascades some 20 metres (65.6 ft) into School Creek. Though these falls appear completely natural, they were created by the diversion of Ross Creek to form the reservoir, and now carry waters from the creek's flood channel. The lower parts of the reserve's tracks close to Glenleith are also notable, as they pass through the narrowest part of the Ross Creek's valley, which rises as canyon walls on both sides of the track and creek.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. One of the oldest artificial lakes in the country, and the oldest water supply reservoir still in use in the country, it was created in the 1860s to provide water for the city of Dunedin, at that time in the middle of rapid expansion due to the Otago goldrush. Designed by engineer Ralph Donkin and supervising builder David Proudfoot, the reservoir was opened in 1867 as the Royal Albert Reservoir, but the name was unpopular and it has been known as the Ross Creek Reservoir for over a century.
The reservoir, dams, and picturesque valve tower have a New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
Level I classification.
The reservoir is located in a heavily wooded valley in the suburb of Glenleith, four kilometres north of the city centre. Fed by a small stream, the Ross Creek — a tributary of the Water of Leith
Water of Leith, New Zealand
The Water of Leith , is a small river in the South Island of New Zealand.It rises to the north of the city of Dunedin, flowing for 14 kilometres southeast through the northern part of the city and the campus of the University of Otago before reaching the Otago Harbour...
— it is held behind two small dams, 23 metres and 10 metres in height. The base of the larger dam is 95 metres above sea level, with the water surface at approximately 115 metres ASL.
Ross Creek Reserve
The reservoir is surrounded by a public reserve which has been allowed to regenerate with native bush. Though not technically covered by the New Zealand Reserves Act, the area is referred to as a reserve and managed and maintained as such by the Dunedin City Council, by virtue of its high scenic and recreational value.This lies between Tanner and Rockside Roads in Glenleith and Cannington Road in Maori HillMaori Hill
Maori Hill is a residential suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located at the northern end of the ridge which runs in a crescent around the central city's western edge, to the northwest of the city centre, immediately above and within the Town Belt...
. The winding Burma Road runs through the reserve to the north and west of the reservoir. One of Dunedin's most popular golf courses, Balmacewen Golf Course, abuts the reserve's southwest corner. The highest point in the reserve, in its northeastern corner close to Tanner Road, is some 190 metres (623.4 ft) above sea level.
Numerous popular walking tracks lead to and circle the reservoir, and follow the course of the Ross Creek and its tributary, School Creek. Track counters have recorded as many as 4,000 walkers on the tracks per month, making them some of Dunedin's most well-used bush walks. The tracks are marked with stone markers, and a permanent orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
course is also marked numbered posts. The walks can be entered from various points along Burma and Tanner Roads, but the main entry is from lower down Ross Creek at Glenleith. A further track links the reserve with a walkway which follows the course of the Water of Leith
Water of Leith, New Zealand
The Water of Leith , is a small river in the South Island of New Zealand.It rises to the north of the city of Dunedin, flowing for 14 kilometres southeast through the northern part of the city and the campus of the University of Otago before reaching the Otago Harbour...
past a former quarry to link with tracks which run through Woodhaugh Gardens at the mouth of the Leith Valley
Leith Valley
Leith Valley is a suburb, valley, and general area of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, located to the northwest of the city centre. To differentiate the name of the valley from that of the suburb, the former is usually referred to as the Leith Valley, the latter simply as Leith Valley.-The valley...
0.9 kilometre (0.559235462984826 mi) to the southeast.
Notable features of the reserve — other than the reservoir — include a waterfall which cascades some 20 metres (65.6 ft) into School Creek. Though these falls appear completely natural, they were created by the diversion of Ross Creek to form the reservoir, and now carry waters from the creek's flood channel. The lower parts of the reserve's tracks close to Glenleith are also notable, as they pass through the narrowest part of the Ross Creek's valley, which rises as canyon walls on both sides of the track and creek.