Haweswater Reservoir: an environmental asset or an environmental liability?

Haweswater Reservoir, owned and operated by United Utilities (UU), is the third largest reservoir within England behind Kielder Water and Rutland Water. Constructed in 1940 it holds approximately 85,000 million litres of water and supplies Manchester via 72 miles of aqueduct.

The dam itself was considered to be a major feat of engineering at the time and is a rare example of a buttress concrete dam. The reservoir location is viewed as one the most beautiful parts of the Lake District and is a vital for the local economy, tourism and diverse flora and fauna. But this was not always the case. At the time of its design and construction there was huge opposition to its construction from the local community. Marland, a village at the heart of the valley, was flooded and villagers were relocated, losing their homes and livelihood. The impact on the local flora and fauna in the short term was also significant.

This paper will look at the social and environmental impacts resulting from the construction of the reservoir through to its present day operation. It will also discuss the impacts associated with returning such reservoirs back to their natural environmental as part of discontinuance works and the challenges faced.