Bottoms Reservoir (Derbyshire)

Bottoms Reservoir is a man-made lake in Longdendale in north Derbyshire, England. It was constructed between 1865 and 1877, by John Frederick Bateman as part of the Longdendale chain to supply water from the River Etherow to the urban areas of Greater Manchester.^[1] The upper reservoirs supplied the drinking water, while Bottoms and Vale House reservoirs regulated the flow downstream for the benefit of local water-powered mills.^[2]

The reservoir was obliged to release 10m gallons a day; to ensure this, a gauging basin 40 feet in diameter,was built. The drinking water flowed by gravity through the Mottram Tunnel to the Godley covered reservoir; Valehouse and Bottoms cannot contribute because they are too low.^[3]

In 1877 turbines were introduced at Bottoms to produce electricity that powered the company offices and the works electric train. These operated for 28 years.

In 1998 remedial safety work was done. The clay core and crest was raised by 2.5m, and a dry metalled track constructed on the crest. The bywash channel bridge was replaced to give greater clearance, and the stonework of the bywash channel and the tumbling bay was repointed. ^[3]

References

1. ^ The Peak District National Park - Fact Zone 21. Longdendale in the National Park
2. ^ Tintwistle - history
3. ^ ^{a b} Quayle, Tom (2006), Manchester's Water: The reservoirs in the hills, Tempus Publishing, ISBN 0 7524 3198 6