Upper Barden Reservoir | |
---|---|
Location | Barden, North Yorkshire |
Coordinates | 54°01′01″N1°58′52″W / 54.017°N 1.981°W |
Type | Reservoir |
Primary outflows | Barden Beck (River Wharfe) |
Catchment area | 890 acres (361 ha) |
Basin countries | England |
Managing agency | Yorkshire Water |
Built | 1876–1882 |
Construction engineer | Alexander Binnie |
First flooded | 27 September 1882 |
Surface area | 54 acres (22 ha) |
Average depth | 31 feet (9.6 m) |
Max. depth | 60 feet (18 m) [note 1] |
Water volume | 74,700,000 cubic feet (2,115,000 m3) |
Shore length1 | 1.2 miles (2 km) |
Surface elevation | 1,168 feet (356 m) |
Website | Yorkshire Water website |
References | [1] [2] [3] [4] |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Upper Barden Reservoir is an upland fresh water reservoir, one of two reservoirs that collect water from Barden Moor, and dam Barden Beck, a tributary of the River Wharfe in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England. The reservoir was opened in 1882 and also supplies fresh water to the Nidd Aqueduct, which transports it to Bradford. Upper Barden Reservoir was the second of the reservoirs to be built, (Lower Barden opened in 1860).
The embankment of the dam head is 125 feet (38 m) high, which at the time of its construction, was the highest in England, and notable for being one of the first to use concrete.
Upper Barden Reservoir was constructed between 1876 and 1882. It is fed from streams running off Barden Moor, and its major outfall is Barden Beck, which feeds Lower Barden Reservoir and the River Wharfe. [5] Separately, some of the outflow from Upper Barden runs into an aqueduct which in turns, feeds into the Nidd Aqueduct, supplying water to the Chellow Heights water treatment works (WTW) in Bradford. [6] Between 1893 and 1901, when the aqueduct was being constructed, a pipe measuring 4,940 yards (4,520 m) was built to take water away from Barden Beck between the two reservoirs and feed water into the Nidd Aqueduct. [7] All of these works were undertaken by Bradford Corporation Water Works, to improve the water supply into the town (later city) of Bradford, which did not have a major water supply nearby. [8] [9]
When Lower Barden reservoir was opened in 1860, it was noted that the valley above would also be ideally suited for a second reservoir with the capability of holding the same volume of water as the lower reservoir (440,000,000 imperial gallons (2.0×109 L; 530,000,000 US gal)). [10] Much of the Yorkshire Dales lies on limestone, but the area of Barden Moor is underlain by millstone grit, which is not as porous as limestone, so is ideal for reservoirs. [11] Upper Barden is an upland freshwater reservoir, being 1,168 feet (356 m) above sea level, [12] and was built at the confluence of Hethersgill Beck and Padmore Syke. [4]
The scheme received royal assent in 1875, however, the necessary surveying and preparatory work took some time, with the design and construction down to the newly appointed (1875) Bradford Corporation Waterworks engineer, Alexander Binnie. [13] Work started on the reservoir in 1876, with an estimated cost of £200,000. [14] It was intended to hold 500,000,000 imperial gallons (2.3×109 L; 600,000,000 US gal) of water and, in the original plans, the lower reservoir was simply referred to as Barden Reservoir (or dam). [15] [note 2] When completed, the cost was £245,000 (1882) and the reservoir capacity was less than intended at 428,000,000 imperial gallons (1.95×109 L; 514,000,000 US gal). [19] The maximum water flow through the dam is 1,500 cubic feet (43 m3) per second. [20]
The Dam's cut-off (the lowest part of the wall designed to prevent seepage) was constructed from concrete, one of the first to be made from this material in England. [21] The cut-off trench was dug and completed by May 1879, and because of the "exceptional use of concrete.." (at that time), the event attracted much attention, especially in engineering circles. [22] The embankment of the dam head reaches a height of 125 feet (38 m) and extends across the dam for 524 yards (479 m). [23] At the time of its construction, the dam head embankment was the highest in England. [24]
The trench which houses the embankment was dug to a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) in places, so the span from trench bottom to crest of the dam head was 148 feet (45 m) at its highest. The dam embankment is filled with 810,000 cubic feet (23,000 m3) of concrete, and 2,200,000 cubic feet (61,000 m3) of puddle clay. [18] Upper Barden was first flooded in September 1882, and it reached its peak in December of the same year. [25] However, formal opening of the dam was not until 29 May 1883, when a deputation from Bradford Corporation travelled to the site. [26]
The area was subject to flash flooding in June 1908, when 103 millimetres (4.1 in) of rain fell in 150 minutes. The dam walls, conduits and cut-offs, held up well, however the deluge destroyed many bridges and damaged roads in Airedale and Wharfedale. [27]
The catchment area surrounding the reservoir is part of the West Nidderdale, Barden and Blubberhouses Moors SSSI. [28] Like other reservoirs in the Yorkshire uplands, the water in Barden suffers from discolouration due to the peat run-off from the moors. [29] The area around the two reservoirs is popular with walkers as the site is located in the Yorkshire Dales. [30] [31]
Upper Barden Reservoir is noted for its colony of black-headed gulls; one of the largest inland colonies in the north of England. [32] [33]
Upper Barden Reservoir railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
As with other projects of this size, men and materials were transported to the site by a standard gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) railway. [34] Unusually, the railway had a transhipment point from a road; other major projects to create reservoirs in the Yorkshire Dales had railways connecting with heavy rail transhipment yards (Masham for Leighton and Roundhill, [35] and the Nidd Valley Light Railway for those in Nidderdale). [36]
The transhipment yard and navvy camp was located on the road between Embsay and Barden which is at 1,020 feet (310 m); this site is now a car park. [37] [38] The railway extended for 2.5 miles (4 km) along the edge of the hills to reach the dam head, [34] and ascended by 200 feet (61 m) from the road at the navvy camp. [18] On an average week, 400 tonnes (440 tons) of cement was shipped along the hillside to the dam head by the railway. [18]
The railway was worked by three 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotives (named Bruce, Jingo and Wallace), made by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds. [39] These were offered for sale in April 1883 at Skipton railway station, after the work at the reservoir site was completed. [3]
The River Dibb, also known as Barben Beck, is a small river located in North Yorkshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Wharfe. Grimwith Reservoir is at the head of the River Dibb at a point some 2.5 miles (4 km) from Appletreewick. The river flows for 5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi), and must maintain a flow of 273,000 cubic metres (9,600,000 cu ft) of water a day into the River Wharfe system.
Nidderdale, historically also known as Netherdale, is one of the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. It is the upper valley of the River Nidd, which flows south underground and then along the dale, forming several reservoirs including the Gouthwaite Reservoir, before turning east and eventually joining the River Ouse.
Appletreewick is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north-east of Skipton, 7 miles (11 km) from Skipton railway station and 16 miles (25.7 km) from Leeds Bradford International Airport.
Barden is a civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It consists of the hamlet of Drebley and a few scattered houses in Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales. The parish also includes two areas of moorland, Barden Fell to the east of the River Wharfe and Barden Moor to the west of the river. Both moorlands are access land, and are popular with walkers. Barden Fell rises to the prominent peak of Simon's Seat, and Barden Moor includes two scenic 19th century reservoirs. Much of the parish is on the Bolton Abbey estate.
The River Nidd is a tributary of the River Ouse in the English county of North Yorkshire. In its first few miles it is dammed three times to create Angram Reservoir, Scar House Reservoir and Gouthwaite Reservoir, which attract a total of around 150,000 visitors a year. The Nidd can overflow the reservoirs, flooding the caves in the valley. In such cases the river overflows into the normally dry river bed past Lofthouse through to Gouthwaite Reservoir. The Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust YDRT has a remit to conserve the ecological condition of the River Nidd from its headwaters to the Humber estuary.
Angram Reservoir is the first of three reservoirs on the River Nidd in Upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England, the others being Scar House Reservoir and finally the compensation reservoir Gouthwaite Reservoir. It is located at OS map reference SE040759. Between them they attract around 150,000 visitors a year.
Scar House Reservoir is the second of the three reservoirs in Upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England, the others are Angram Reservoir and Gouthwaite Reservoir. Between them they attract around 150,000 visitors a year.
Fewston Reservoir is located in the Washburn valley north of Otley and west of Harrogate in Yorkshire, England. It was built in 1879. The capacity is about 3.5 million cubic metres. It can be found from the A59 road. The overflow from the reservoir feeds directly into the adjoining Swinsty Reservoir. Formerly, this overflow was encircled by a metal walkway from which floodboards could be lowered, but this has since been removed. The reservoir is the property of Yorkshire Water, which manages it for the benefit of walkers, anglers and wildlife. Situated in the charming Washburn valley, sharing an embankment with Swinsty Reservoir, Fewston is popular with walkers and runners. Cyclists and horse-riders can also make use of their own permitted tracks in the surrounding woodlands.
The River Washburn is a river in Yorkshire, England. It originates high in the Yorkshire Dales and ends where it meets the River Wharfe. It lies within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Leighton Reservoir is a reservoir which drains via the River Burn to the River Ure in North Yorkshire, England. It neighbours Roundhill Reservoir and is about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Masham. It takes its name from the nearby village of Leighton.
Nidd Valley Light Railway was a light railway in upper Nidderdale in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was owned by Bradford Corporation Waterworks Department and the corporation also operated its public passenger services. Power & Traction Ltd of London obtained a Light Railway Order for the 6.5-mile (10.5 km) railway from Pateley Bridge to Lofthouse in 1900, but these powers were taken over by Bradford Corporation. A contract to build Angram Reservoir was awarded to John Best & Son in 1903, and he also won the contract to build the public railway and a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) private extension to the reservoir site. This was initially built to 3 ft gauge but was converted to standard gauge by 1907, when the public railway opened. Best had his own locomotives, and Bradford Corporation equipped the public railway with second hand locomotives and carriages from the Metropolitan Railway.
The Six Dales Trail is a long distance footpath in North Yorkshire, England, with a short section in West Yorkshire. It is 38 miles (61 km) long and connects Otley and Middleham.
The Masham branch was a 7+3⁄4-mile (12.5 km) long North Eastern Railway built single track branch railway line that ran between a junction on the Harrogate to Northallerton line at Melmerby to Masham, North Yorkshire, via one intermediate station, Tanfield.
The Nidd Aqueduct is an aqueduct or man-made watercourse in North Yorkshire, England. It feeds water from Angram and Scar House reservoirs in upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire 32 mi (51 km) to Bradford in West Yorkshire. The aqueduct supplies 21,000,000 imp gal (95,000 m3) of water per day to Chellow Heights water treatment works. The aqueduct and the reservoirs it connects to are all maintained by Yorkshire Water.
Bradford Dale, is a side valley of Airedale that feeds water from Bradford Beck across the City of Bradford into the River Aire at Shipley in West Yorkshire, England. Whilst it is in Yorkshire and a dale, it is not part of the Yorkshire Dales and has more in common with Lower Nidderdale and Lower Airedale for its industrialisation.
Wath-in-Nidderdale railway station, was one of two intermediate stations on the Nidd Valley Light Railway, in Wath-in-Nidderdale, Yorkshire, England. The station was opened in September 1907, and closed to passengers in January 1930, however the line remained open until 1936 to transport freight to and from the reservoirs in the Upper Nidd Valley.
Lofthouse-in-Nidderdale railway station was the northernmost regular passenger terminus on the Nidd Valley Light Railway (NVLR), in Lofthouse, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire and now in North Yorkshire, England. The station was built as part of Bradford Corporation's programme of reservoir building in the Upper Nidd Valley. The station opened in 1904 and was closed to passengers in 1930. The station was renamed Lofthouse-in-Nidderdale railway station in 1907 to avoid confusion with Lofthouse and Outwood railway station, also in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
Pateley Bridge railway station (NVLR) was a railway station serving the southern terminus of the Nidd Valley Light Railway, in Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire, England. The railway was built to enable the construction of reservoirs in the Upper Nidd Valley by the Bradford Corporation. The station opened to passengers in September 1907, and closed in January 1930, however, the adjacent line remained open for the transfer of goods traffic until 1937.
Oak Beck is a watercourse that flows eastwards across the northern part of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. The beck flows through a broad V-shaped valley, before emptying into the River Nidd at Bilton, just upstream from the Nidd Gorge Viaduct. Water from Oak Beck has been used as a water supply for Harrogate and also for industrial purposes further downstream.
The Colsterdale Light Railway (CLR) was a narrow-gauge railway line in Colsterdale, North Yorkshire, England. It was built between 1903 and 1905 to allow materials to be taken up the Colsterdale valley for reservoir building. The building of two reservoirs in the valley of the River Burn, was first approved for the councils of Harrogate and Leeds respectively in 1901. Construction on the second reservoir was halted during the First World War, although the railway was kept in use carrying men and supplies to the training camp, later a PoW camp, at Breary Banks.