Valehouse Reservoir

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Valehouse Reservoir
Longdendale4695.JPG
From the Rhodeswood dam (March 2008)
Derbyshire UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Valehouse Reservoir
Location Derbyshire
Coordinates 53°28′34″N1°56′49″W / 53.476°N 1.947°W / 53.476; -1.947
Lake type compensation reservoir
Primary inflows River Etherow
Primary outflows River Etherow
Basin  countriesUnited Kingdom
Surface area 63 acres (25 ha)
Max. depth40 ft (12 m)
Water volume 343×10^6 m3 (12.1×10^9 cu ft)
Surface elevation503 ft (153 m)

Valehouse (or Vale House) Reservoir is a man-made lake in Longdendale in north Derbyshire, England. It was built between 1865 and 1869 as part of the Longdendale Chain of reservoirs, which was built to supply water from the River Etherow to the urban areas of Greater Manchester, while maintaining a constant flow into the river. [1] The upper reservoirs supply the drinking water, while Vale House and Bottoms are compensation reservoirs which guarantee the flow of water to water-powered mills downstream. [2] Valehouse, with a crest elevation of 503 metres (1,650 ft), is too low to supply water under gravity to the Mottram Tunnel, so could not be used as an impounding reservoir. Today 45 megalitres of compensation water are released each day into the River Etherow. [3]

Valehouse Reservoir emptied in the drought of 2010 Tintwistle 3346.JPG
Valehouse Reservoir emptied in the drought of 2010

Vale House Mill was purchased by Manchester Corporation in 1864, but a few villagers remained in the village of Vale House until 1868. In 1869 the hamlet was flooded out. The village was substantial, having an estimated population of 600 houses and 100 cottages. There was a gasworks and a school house for 24-30 scholars. Vale House Mill was the first spinning and weaving mill in Longdendale; it was built in 1775 by Samuel Oldknow. In 1864, it was owned by William Hobbs and Co. It had two carding rooms, nine spinning rooms, three weaving rooms and two Blowing Rooms. It had 15,416 spindles and 326 power looms. Vale House residents worshipped at the Ebenezer Methodist Chapel in Tintwistle (built in 1830), which was above the reservoir. [4]

The chimney at Vale House Mill survived the construction of the reservoir and became known as the "Whispering Chimney" as it produced ghostly noises during strong winds. It was demolished in 1887 [5] at the request of the Manchester to Sheffield Railway Company, who feared for the stability of their trains when all the passengers crowded over to one side of a carriage to see the chimney protruding from the waters of the reservoir.

The puddle trench was dug to a depth of 35 feet (11 m) to a layer of lower millstone grit, which rested on limestone shales, and a good watertight seal was easily achieved.

It was stated in a statutory report, under the Reservoir Safety Act 1975, dated 12 June 1984, that all five reservoirs could be over-topped during a Probable Maximum Flood, so major works were undertaken. The retention level was raised by 3.81 m (12.5 ft), the embankment crest by 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in), and the wave wall was rebuilt. An 80-metre (260 ft) wide auxiliary spillway was constructed, two new 900-millimetre (35 in) butterfly valves installed and existing valves descaled and motorised. The 11 kV overhead powerline was routed in a new embankment crest duct.

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mossy Lea Reservoir</span> Impounding reservoir in North Derbyshire, England

Mossy Lea Reservoir is a disused reservoir near Glossop, north Derbyshire. In 1837, 50 local millowners and gentlemen, known as the "Glossop Commissioners", obtained an Act of Parliament to construct the Glossop Reservoirs. Hurst Reservoir was on the Hurst Brook and Mossy Lea Reservoir was to take water from the Shelf Brook. Only the Hurst Reservoir was constructed before the money ran out. Mossy Lea Reservoir was constructed privately in 1840 by the Duke of Norfolk. It was taken over in 1929 by the Glossop Corporation Waterworks. This became part of the Manchester Corporation Waterworks in 1959. Swineshaw Reservoir, Hurst Reservoir and Mossy Lea Reservoir are no longer in service.

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The Godley Reservoir is a reservoir in Godley, Hyde, Greater Manchester. It was completed in 1851, as a critical part of the Longdendale Chain project that brings fresh water to Manchester.

The Mottram Tunnel is a tunnel carrying drinking water by gravity from Arnfield Reservoir, Tintwistle, Derbyshire, in the valley of the River Etherow, to Godley, Greater Manchester, in the valley of the River Tame. It was essential to the construction of the Longdendale Chain of reservoirs constructed by John Frederick Bateman. The tunnel was built between August 1848 and October 1850, and the Godley Reservoir was finished in 1851 to receive and filter the water.

References

  1. "The Peak District National Park - Fact Zone 21. Longdendale in the National Park". Archived from the original on 4 January 2006. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  2. "Tintwistle - history". Archived from the original on 18 July 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2006.
  3. Quayle, Tom (2006). Manchester's Water: The reservoirs in the hills. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Tempus Publishing. ISBN   0-7524-3198-6.
  4. Quayle, Tom (2006). The Cotton Industry in Longdendale and Glossopdale. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Tempus. p. 126. ISBN   0-7524-3883-2.
  5. "Rhodeswood/The Ghostly Chimney – the mysterious Whispering Chimney". Hadfield and Padfield Heritage Trail. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
Preceded by
Bottoms Reservoir
Longdendale Chain Reservoirs
(West to East)
Succeeded by
Rhodeswood Reservoir