Witton Lakes

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Witton Lakes
Witton Lakes - Lower (448543147).jpg
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Witton Lakes
Location Erdington, Birmingham, England
Coordinates 52°31′43″N1°52′18″W / 52.52850°N 1.87172°W / 52.52850; -1.87172 Coordinates: 52°31′43″N1°52′18″W / 52.52850°N 1.87172°W / 52.52850; -1.87172
Type Reservoir
Primary inflows Two brooks
Primary outflows Brook to Brookvale Park Lake

Witton Lakes (previously known as Upper Witton Reservoir and Middle Witton Reservoir) are a pair of former drinking water reservoirs between the Perry Common and Erdington areas of Birmingham, England (not in nearby Witton).

Two brooks, arising at Kingstanding and Bleak Hill, Erdington, respectively, feed first Witton Lakes, then overspill into Brookvale Park Lake (previously known as Lower Witton Reservoir), before reaching the River Tame, and eventually the Humber and the North Sea.

The brooks are natural; the lakes were completed in 1880, [1] to supply drinking water for Birmingham. They were then in the countryside, and the water relatively clean. Industrialisation and urban sprawl led to the water no longer being fit for drinking, so the city turned to the Elan Valley in Wales for a supply. The lakes' capacity is 80,200 m3 (104,900 cu yd). [1]

The lakes are now maintained as a leisure amenity by Birmingham City Council. One is used for model boating and the other nature conservation. The north Birmingham cycle route runs through the surrounding park.

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Birmingham City Council

Birmingham City Council is the local government body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local council in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham City councillors representing over one million people, in 40 wards. This means that Birmingham is technically the largest city in the United Kingdom. The council headquarters are at the Council House in the city centre. The council is responsible for running nearly all local services, with the exception of those run by joint boards. The provision of certain services has in recent years been devolved to several council constituencies, which each have a constituency committee made up of councillors from that district.

River Tame, West Midlands River in the West Midlands of England

For the river in Greater Manchester, see River Tame, Greater Manchester.

Elan Valley Reservoirs

The Elan Valley Reservoirs are a chain of man-made lakes created from damming the Elan and Claerwen rivers within the Elan Valley in Mid Wales. The reservoirs, which were built by the Birmingham Corporation Water Department, provide clean drinking water for Birmingham in the West Midlands of England. The five lakes are known as the Claerwen, Craig-goch, Pen-y-garreg, Garreg-ddu, and Caban-coch.

Chasewater A lake in Staffordshire, England

Chasewater is a reservoir located in the parish of Burntwood and the district of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. Originally known as Norton Pool and Cannock Chase Reservoir, it was created as a canal feeder reservoir in 1797. The reservoir was created to directly supply the Wyrley and Essington Canal and maintain levels in the 160-mile (260 km) Birmingham Canal Network. During a period of great industrial growth in the Black Country region the maintenance of water levels in canal infrastructure was essential and Chasewater was in great demand. As canals became less essential for transport of goods during the mid-20th century, the reservoir diversified and became a popular public amenity with activities such as water-skiing, sailing, wakeboarding and cycling. Chasewater is the third largest reservoir by volume in the county of Staffordshire and the largest canal feeder reservoir in the West Midlands.

Erdington Suburb of Birmingham, England

Erdington is a suburb and ward of Birmingham that is historically part of Warwickshire. It is 5 miles (8 km) northeast of central Birmingham, England and borders Sutton Coldfield. It was also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee. The former council district consisted of the ward of Erdington, and Tyburn,, Stockland Green and Kingstanding, although all of Kingstanding and most of both Tyburn and Stockland Green wards lie outside the historical boundaries of Erdington. Stockland Green was formerly part of Aston, Kingstanding part of Perry Barr and Tyburn partially split between Aston and Hodge Hill. Erdington (ward) was part of the Sutton Coldfield constituency before 1974.

Perry Common

Perry Common is an area of north Birmingham that includes parts of both Stockland Green and Kingstanding. It falls within the Birmingham Erdington parliamentary constituency.

Stockland Green Suburb of Birmingham, England

Stockland Green is an area of Birmingham, England.

Brookvale Park Lake A lake in Birmingham, England

Brookvale Park Lake previously known as Lower Witton Reservoir is a former drinking water reservoir in the Erdington area of Birmingham, England.

Edgbaston Reservoir Reservoir in the West Midlands, England

Edgbaston Reservoir, originally known as Rotton Park Reservoir and referred to in some early maps as Rock Pool Reservoir, is a canal feeder reservoir in Birmingham, England, maintained by the Canal & River Trust. It is situated close to Birmingham City Centre and is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

Perry Barr Reservoir A reservoir in the West Midlands of England

Perry Barr Reservoir is a covered drinking water reservoir, in north Birmingham, England, operated by Severn Trent Water. Built for the then Birmingham Corporation Water Department, on the site of the former Perry Barr Farm, it is not, despite its name, in the modern Perry Barr area, but nearby Kingstanding, at grid reference SP083951.

Witton, Birmingham

Witton is an inner city area in Birmingham, England, in the metropolitan county of the West Midlands. It was within the ancient parish of Aston in the Hemlingford hundred of the historic county of Warwickshire. It is known as the home of Aston Villa Football Club at Villa Park.

Church of SS Peter & Paul, Aston Church

The Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul in Witton Lane, Aston, Birmingham, England, is a parish church in the Church of England.

Kingstanding Human settlement in England

Kingstanding is an area in north Birmingham, England. It gives its name to a ward in the Erdington council constituency. Kingstanding ward includes the areas; Perry Common, Witton Lakes and Wyrley Birch. The other part of Kingstanding falls under the Oscott ward.

Plants Brook is a stream in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is a tributary of the River Tame, whose waters ultimately flow, via the Humber Estuary, into the North Sea.

Swithland Reservoir

Swithland Reservoir is a reservoir in the English county of Leicestershire. It is north-east of the village of Swithland from which it takes its name, north-west of Rothley and approximately 133 metres (145 yd) south-west of Mountsorrel Quarry. It is part of the 187.1-hectare (462-acre) Buddon Wood and Swithland Reservoir Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Edgbaston Pool

Edgbaston Pool is a Site of Special Scientific Interest located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. It is one of 23 SSSI's in the West Midlands. The site has two distinct units (areas) within it. The first is water-related and contains the 7 hectares lake and the input channel of the Chad Brook as well as some land that is either marsh or lake depending on the season. The second, the smaller section is woodland. In total the site measures 15.93 hectares.

Birmingham Corporation Water Department

The Birmingham Corporation Water Department was responsible for the supply of water to Birmingham, England, from 1876 to 1974. It was also known as Birmingham Corporation Waterworks Department.

Brookvale Park

Brookvale Park is located in the Stockland Green Ward of Erdington Constituency in England. The park surrounds Brookvale Park Lake. Within the park there is a bowling green, tennis courts, a children's play area and sailing club. Many local residents and groups take an active interest in the park and the lake.

Aston Reservoir

Aston Reservoir, sometimes known as Salford Lake, Salford Park Pool or Salford Bridge Reservoir, is a 19th-century reservoir, formerly used for drinking water extracted from the River Tame, in Birmingham, England. It was built by the Birmingham Waterworks Company and was at that time situated in the parish of Aston. On 1 January 1876 the company was purchased by Birmingham Corporation Water Department.

References

  1. 1 2 Environment Agency public register of Large Raised Reservoirs, as at 2 November 2020, via Boswarva, Owen. "Large Raised Reservoirs" . Retrieved 7 December 2020.