Bottoms Reservoir (Derbyshire)

Bottoms Reservoir
(March 2008)
Location	North Derbyshire, England
Coordinates	53°28′08″N 1°57′40″W / 53.469°N 1.961°WCoordinates: 53°28′08″N 1°57′40″W / 53.469°N 1.961°W
Lake type	compensation reservoir
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Surface area	50 acres (20 ha)
Average depth	48 ft (15 m)
Water volume	2,400 acre feet (650,000,000 imp gal)
Surface elevation	486 ft (148 m)

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 Gauging Basin

The reservoir was obliged to release ten million gallons a day. To ensure this, a gauging basin 40 feet in diameter was built. The drinking water flowed through the Mottram Tunnel to the Godley covered reservoir.^[3]

History

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 Archived January 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
2. Tintwistle - history Archived July 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
3. Quayle, Tom (2006), Manchester's Water: The reservoirs in the hills, Stroud, Gloucestershire: Tempus Publishing, ISBN 0-7524-3198-6