William Girling Reservoir

Last updated

William Girling Reservoir
William Girling Reservoir.JPG
The reservoir viewed from Chingford
Enfield London UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
William Girling Reservoir
Location London Borough of Enfield
Coordinates 51°37′54″N0°01′28″W / 51.6316°N 0.0244°W / 51.6316; -0.0244
Type reservoir
Primary inflows River Lee Diversion
Basin  countriesUnited Kingdom
Surface area135 ha (330 acres)
Max. depth12.5 m (41 ft)
Water volume16.5 Gl (3.6×10^9 imp gal)

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 (MWB). The reservoir and the nearby King George V Reservoir are known collectively as the Chingford Reservoirs. The storage reservoir, which is owned by Thames Water, is bordered by Chingford to the east and Ponders End and Edmonton to the west, and covers 334 acres (135 hectares) with a perimeter of 3.5 miles (5.6 km). There is no public access.

Contents

History

The Chingford Reservoirs: Looking south over the twin basins of the King George V Reservoir and the William Girling Reservoir in background Chingford Reservoirs.jpg
The Chingford Reservoirs: Looking south over the twin basins of the King George V Reservoir and the William Girling Reservoir in background

The reservoir was conceived as part of an overall plan for the Lea Valley and laid before the Royal Commission on Water Supply (Balfour Committee) in 1893. At the time the responsible authority was the East London Waterworks Company. However, under the provisions of the Metropolis Water Act 1902, the undertakings of this and seven other companies were transferred to the Metropolitan Water Board (MWB).

Work began in 1936 when the tender of John Mowlem (for £682,156) was accepted. [1] The project was led by civil engineer, Robert Wynne-Edwards. Due to the use of mechanical scrapers and bulldozers, which were being used for the first time in British dam construction, progress was rapid. The design, by Sir Jonathan Roberts Davidson, [1] President of the Institution of Civil Engineers 1948/49, attracted widespread technical interest in 1937 when a major slip occurred in the partly formed embankment at the north-west corner. When the embankment fill had reached 23 feet (7.0 m) a 66-foot (20 m) width had dropped 2 feet 4 inches (71 cm) and moved forward 13 feet (4.0 m). Fortunately, the dam failed before any water had been stored. Investigations were under way when a second slip occurred in December 1937. Two independent soil mechanics experts, Dr. Herbert Chatley and Professor Karl Terzaghi, were called in and both made recommendations. In July 1938 the MWB made important modifications to the original design. Subsequent investigations into this landslip can be regarded as the birth of modern soil mechanics in Britain. The reservoir was redesigned to increase its capacity by 11.3%.

Construction was further delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War and the reservoir was not finally completed until 1951, when it was officially opened on 4 September by William Girling, Chairman of the MWB, and named eponymously. [2]

As part of the 2012 Summer Olympics security exercise, the reservoir was identified as suitable for the deployment of Rapier surface-to-air missiles. [3]

Description

The geology of the site is alluvium underlain by river terrace gravels and in turn overlying the London Clay formation.

The reservoir is formed by a continuous earthen embankment that encloses the basin. The embankments consist of a central puddle clay core with a selected material adjacent to the core forming a filter. The core is a maximum of 12 feet (3.7 m) wide at the base and tapers to 5 feet (1.5 m) wide at the crest. The core typically extends 3 feet (91 cm) into the London Clay to form a watertight cut off.

The embankment shoulders consist of zones of ballast and filling material. The upper embankments slopes are 1 in 2.5 externally, whilst the lower slopes to the berm were constructed at a bank slope of 1 in 8.

It was considered necessary to reinforce the NW corner (Ponders End) with sheet-piling which was driven, suspended from a Weldex crane (see photo) ending in 2020

Inflow

Water is pumped from the River Lee Diversion through five inlet pumps with a maximum of 600 ML/d, though normal operation is 250 ML/d.

In addition there are two 200 mm diameter inlets from the North London Artificial Recharge borehole scheme. [4]

Outflow

The outlet tower consists of a granite faced dry shaft that houses a 54 inches (140 cm) diameter vertical pipe, with draw-off pipes at four different levels. The lower end of the standpipe is connected to a 50 inches (130 cm) diameter steel outlet conduit.

The water is conveyed to the Coppermills Water Treatment Works for treatment, with the facility for bulk transfer to Essex and Suffolk Water.

Ecology

The water is part of the Chingford Reservoirs Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). [5] It 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.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarrow Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Lancashire, England

Yarrow Reservoir - named after the River Yarrow - is a reservoir in the Rivington chain in Anglezarke, Lancashire, England, and has a storage capacity second to Anglezarke Reservoir. Construction of the reservoir, designed by Liverpool Borough Engineer Thomas Duncan, began in 1867.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodhead Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Derbyshire, England

Woodhead reservoir is a man-made lake near the hamlet of Woodhead in Longdendale in north Derbyshire, England. It was constructed by John Frederick Bateman between 1847 and June 1877 as part of the Longdendale Chain of reservoirs to supply water from the River Etherow to the urban areas of Greater Manchester. It is at the top of the chain of reservoirs and was the first to be started, though, due to construction problems, it was the last to be completed.

Upper Roddlesworth Reservoir is a reservoir on the River Roddlesworth near Abbey Village in Lancashire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King George V Reservoir</span> Reservoir in London Borough of Enfield

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, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chingford Reservoirs</span>

The Chingford Reservoirs are the King George V Reservoir and the William Girling Reservoir, which form part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain in the London Boroughs of Enfield and Waltham Forest and Epping Forest in Essex. Construction of the King George V Reservoir was started in 1908 and completed in 1912. Work on the William Girling Reservoir was started in 1938, with John Mowlem & Co being the contractor, but owing to technical problems, and the intervention of World War II, the reservoir was not finished until 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toddbrook Reservoir</span> English reservoir

Toddbrook Reservoir, a feeder for the Peak Forest Canal, opened in 1838. It is sited above the town of Whaley Bridge in the Derbyshire High Peak area of England. The reservoir is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) providing habitats for herons, ducks and other animals and fish, while rare mosses and liverworts grow on its shores, particularly short-lived species that grow on seasonally exposed mud. The reservoir is used for sailing and angling. The Peak District Boundary Walk runs around the eastern end of the reservoir. The reservoir is owned by the Canal & River Trust and, like the nearby Combs Reservoir, is a feeder reservoir for the Peak Forest Canal. The feeder runs through Whaley Bridge, and with the Combs feed enters the canal system in a pool close to the transhipment shed at the Whaley Bridge canal basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Mary Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Surrey

The Queen Mary Reservoir is one of the largest of London's reservoirs supplying fresh water to London and parts of surrounding counties, and is located in the Borough of Spelthorne in Surrey. The reservoir covers 707 acres (2.86 km2) and is 45 ft (14 m) above the surrounding area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knight Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Surrey

The Knight Reservoir is a large pumped storage reservoir located in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey. It was inaugurated in 1907 and stores up to 2,180 million litres of raw water abstracted from the River Thames prior to its treatment and supply to London and north Surrey. It is located south of the River Thames, west of West Molesey, and between Hurst Road (A3050) and Walton Road (B369). It is adjacent to, and west of, its twin Bessborough Reservoir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island Barn Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Elmbridge, Surrey

The Island Barn Reservoir lies south of the River Thames in England at West Molesey and north of Lower Green, Esher. The reservoir is 122 acres (0.49 km2) large with a capacity of 992 million gallons and is managed by Thames Water. It is within the borough of Elmbridge and is surrounded by the River Mole to the west and the River Ember to the east. Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir is a larger reservoir to the West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Greater London, England

The Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir lies to the south of the River Thames and to the west of the Island Barn Reservoir. To the north are the Bessborough and Knight reservoirs. The A3050 runs to the north of the reservoir and it is situated in Walton on Thames. It is managed by Thames Water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London water supply infrastructure</span>

London's water supply infrastructure has developed over the centuries in line with the expansion of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kentmere Reservoir</span> Water storage facility in Cumbria, England

Kentmere Reservoir is a water storage facility situated in the Kentmere valley in the county of Cumbria, England. It is located 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) north-northeast of the town of Windermere. The reservoir is fed by the streams which form the headwaters of the River Kent which rise 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) to the north in Hall Cove on the southern slopes of a mountainous ridge called High Street, which is named after the nearby Roman road. It is also fed by Lingmell Gill, which drains the large corrie on the western side of Harter Fell beneath the Nan Bield Pass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paluma Dam</span> Reservoir in City of Townsville, Queensland

Paluma Dam is an embankment dam across Swamp Creek, situated on the western slopes of the Paluma Range, north of Townsville. The reservoir formed by Paluma Dam is known as Lake Paluma. Paluma Dam is managed by Townsville City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King George VI Reservoir</span> Man made reservoir in Surrey since Middlesex before

The King George VI Reservoir sits between Stanwell Moor and Staines upon Thames, south-west of Heathrow, England. It is between Staines Moor and a north–south road abutting the Staines Reservoirs. The reservoir was opened in November 1947 and named after the then reigning monarch George VI. It is owned by Thames Water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kempton Park Reservoirs</span>

Kempton Park Reservoirs are a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the London Borough of Hounslow and Kempton Park in Surrey. It is owned by Thames Water. It is part of South West London Waterbodies Ramsar site and Special Protection Area Kempton Park East reservoir is also a local nature reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tunstall Reservoir</span> A reservoir in County Durham, England

Tunstall Reservoir was a water supply storage reservoir completed in 1879, and now used solely to maintain minimum regulatory flows on the River Wear in northeast England. It is situated in the north Pennines of the United Kingdom, and lies 3.5 km north of the village of Wolsingham, in Weardale, County Durham. The earthen embankment dam, which impounds the reservoir, is recognized as the location where pressure grouting with cement grout was first utilized in 1876 by engineer Thomas Hawksley, to reduce leakage within the rock foundation under an earth dam. Pressure grouting has since become normal practice for construction and remediation at dams and related water resource projects.

Essex and Suffolk Water is a water supply company in the United Kingdom. It operates in two geographically distinct areas, one serving parts of Norfolk and Suffolk, and the other serving parts of Essex and Greater London. The total population served is 1.8 million. Essex and Suffolk is a 'water only' supplier, with sewerage services provided by Anglian Water and Thames Water within its areas of supply. It is part of the Northumbrian Water Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humphrey pump</span>

The Humphrey pump is a large internal combustion gas-fuelled liquid-piston pump. They were used for large-scale water supply projects. They were only popular for a short time, from around 1910 to the outbreak of World War I, but they continued in service for a long period afterwards, some lasting into the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edinburgh Water Company</span> Scottish water and sewage utility

Edinburgh Water Company and its successors have provided a public water supply and latterly sewerage and sewage treatment services to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh since 1819. The original company was established to supply drinking water and did so until 1870, when it was taken over by a public Water Trust, with representatives from Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello. That in turn was taken over by Edinburgh Corporation and in 1975, responsibility passed to the Lothian Regional Council, as did the duty to provide sewerage and sewage treatment services. Both services were moved out of local authority control, and taken over by the East of Scotland Water Authority in 1996. The three Scottish regional water authorities were merged to form Scottish Water in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool Corporation Waterworks</span>

Liverpool Corporation Waterworks and its successors have provided a public water supply and sewerage and sewage treatment services to the city of Liverpool, England. In 1625 water was obtained from a single well and delivered by cart, but as the town grew, companies supplied water to homes through pipes. There were two main companies by the 1840s, but the water supply was intermittent, and there was general dissatisfaction with the service. Liverpool Corporation decided that such an important service should be provided by a public body, and sought to take over the water supply companies.

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, Denis (2001). London and the Thames Valley. Thomas Telford. p. 70. ISBN   978-0-7277-2876-0.
  2. Smith.D Civil Engineering Heritage p.74 (2001) ISBN   0-7277-2876-8 Retrieved 2 January 2007
  3. "London 2012: Major Olympic security test unveiled". BBC News. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  4. North london artificial recharge scheme Retrieved 12 September 2008
  5. English Nature citation, Chingford Reservoirs Retrieved 21 December 2007