Spelga Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Spelga Reservoir is a reservoir
in the townland
of Spelga in the Mourne Mountains of County Down
, Northern Ireland
. It was formed by the Spelga Dam and sits at over 1200 ft (365.8 m) above sea level.
The reservoir and dam were built as part of a project that had origins in the idea of supplying water to Belfast
, in 1894. The Spelga Reservoir itself was developed between 1953 and 1957.
While the reservoir has not been stocked with fish for some years, it is home to wild trout
. The Portadown
and Banbridge
areas receive their water supply from it.
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...
in the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Spelga in the Mourne Mountains of County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It was formed by the Spelga Dam and sits at over 1200 ft (365.8 m) above sea level.
The reservoir and dam were built as part of a project that had origins in the idea of supplying water to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, in 1894. The Spelga Reservoir itself was developed between 1953 and 1957.
While the reservoir has not been stocked with fish for some years, it is home to wild trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
. The Portadown
Portadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
and Banbridge
Banbridge
Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road. It was named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. The town grew as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing...
areas receive their water supply from it.