Anglezarke Reservoir

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Anglezarke Reservoir
Anglezarke Reservoir - Looking towards Chorley
Looking towards Chorley
Location Rivington
Coordinates 53°41′N 2°35′WCoordinates: 53°41′N 2°35′W
Lake type reservoir
Primary inflows River Yarrow
Basin countries United Kingdom
The Goit, discharging into the Northern end of the reservoir
The Goit, discharging into the Northern end of the reservoir
Waterman's Cottage, built by the Liverpool Corporation Waterworks Authority from local stone
Waterman's Cottage, built by the Liverpool Corporation Waterworks Authority from local stone

Anglezarke Reservoir is the largest reservoir in the Rivington chain. It fed the city of Liverpool prior to its current status as a supply mainly for Wigan[1], and itself is fed mainly from the River Yarrow. Built in the 1850s, the area is now a wildlife haven, with a Woodland Trail which links in High Bullough reservoir.

In November 1997, the reservoir was refilled after a particularly dry summer. The water flow was so large that the reservoir required an emergency draw-down. With the water level at a temporary low, there was an opportunity to inspect the Heapey embankment on Moor Road, which had been leaking since the 1960s. The condition of the embankment and surrounding strata were such that a phased grouting operation was required to remedy the leakage. The reservoir was refilled, but was still leaking. After a second grouting and refill operation, the embankment was deemed leak-free.

It appears that the original cause of the leak was an 18" cast iron drawoff pipe which supplied White Brook to the north of the embankment. The trench for the pipe was cut much deeper than needed, through a glacial meltwater channel. However, shutting the pipe off in the 1970s failed to remedy the situation.[2]

[edit] Waterman's Cottage

Built by the Liverpool Corporation, along with The Street and other dwellings on Dryfield Lane and Rivington Lane, the property is an impressive mock-tudor style structure. Also known as Heapey Cottage Anglezarke, its first noted occupants were Denis and Anne Oakden, albeit in the 1940s, many decades after construction. Denis worked for the Water Authority and moved to the property after several years in Porch Cottages, White Coppice.[3]

Leicester Mill quarry, once a hive of industrial activity, is now a popular area for rock climbers.

[edit] Notes and References

  1. ^ Web : United Utilities Rivington Water Treatment Works Retrieved June 20, 2006. (source)
  2. ^ Book : Tedd, Paul. Reservoirs in a Changing World, Thomas Telford, 2002. (ISBN 0-7277-3139-4))
  3. ^ Book : Smith, MD. About Anglezarke, Wyre Publishing, 2002. (ISBN 0-9526187-6-1)
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The Rivington reservoir chain