The UK's 10 largest reservoirs revealed - six of them are in the same country
UK reservoirs are recreational hotspots supporting a host of activities including fishing, walking, birdwatching, sailing and biking but what are the UK's 10 largest?
The 10 largest reservoirs have been revealed - and 60 percent of them are in England.
Reservoirs are a man-made lake or a large waterbody used to store water. They’re made by creating dams across rivers or by diverting water flowing out of a lake.
Having reservoirs help stabilise the availability of water, prevent flooding and manage water supply in a country.
The use of reservoirs have evolved over time from their original function allowing for irrigation and to encompass energy production.
During the 19th century in the UK, the number of reservoirs significantly increased with roughly 570 reservoir’s today.
England is home to the majority of the largest reservoirs in the whole of the UK.
England’s biggest reservoir is the Rutland Reservoir covering 3,100 acres and at its maximum, is 34 metres deep and 1,200 metres long.
It has an area of 4.86 square miles with a water volume of 124 million cubic metres.
The second biggest reservoir but the largest in water capacity is also found in England known as the Kielder Water with an area of 4.25 square miles and holding roughly 200 billion liters of water.
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Third spot goes to Lake Vyrnwy reservoir in Wales with an area of 3.18 square miles and holding 59.7 gigalitres of water when full.
Lake Vyrnwy is found in Powys and was built in the 1880s for Liverpool Corporation Waterworks, supplying Liverpool with fresh water.
England has more of the biggest reservoirs than any other UK nations including Pitsford Water (2.85 mi2); Grafham Water (2.85 mi2); Chew Valley Lake (1.88 mi2); Haweswater (1.50 mi2).
Scotland biggest reservoir is the Carron Valley Reservoir with an area of 1.51 mi2.
Water reservoirs may have exploded during the 19th century but there creation has seemingly halted since then.
Since UK’s water’s companies were privatised in 1989 just one potable reservoir has been completed and includes Carsington Reservoir in Derbyshire back in 1992.
Since then, water companies have been selling off many reservoirs.
According to The Mirror, water companies have flogged 35 reservoirs in five years, building just two.
With old reservoirs being converted for uses including fishing and housing with some being a haven for BMX fans.
