Wimbleball Lake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wimbleball Lake | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Location | Somerset |
| Coordinates | |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | River Haddeo |
| Primary outflows | River Haddeo |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Surface area | 374 acres (1.51 km²) |
| Water volume | 21,000 megalitres |
Wimbleball Lake on Exmoor is a water supply reservoir constructed in the 1970s and completed in 1979.
The 161 feet (49 m) high dam is of concrete buttress construction and impounds the River Haddeo to provide a water storage capacity of some 21,000 megalitres over an area of 374 acres (0.584 sq mi). The tributary valleys include the River Pulham, which passes the village of Brompton Regis and continues to Hartford where it joins the Haddeo.[1]
At times of low flow in the River Exe, water is released into the river for abstraction downstream at Tiverton and Exeter. The effects of this regulation of the water flow from the lake have been studied by comparing the regulated River Haddeo and the neighbouring (unregulated) River Pulham. It showed that the main thermal effects of impoundment and regulation have been to raise mean water temperature, eliminate freezing conditions, depress summer maximum values, delay the annual cycle and reduce diurnal fluctuation.[2]
In 2001 - 2002 South West Water commissioned a detailed assessment of fish population, physical habitat, flow and water quality data within the River Haddeo, since it has been subject to regulated releases from Wimbleball Reservoir, to identify potential bottlenecks restricting the development of juvenile salmon populations.[3]
Managed by the charity South West Lakes Trust, the lake offers a popular location for walking, camping, birdwatching, angling and watersports. In December 2005 the trust was successful in obtaining funding for a £1 million project to provide a new rowing store, conversion of barn space into showers and changing areas, new sports equipment, an accessible bird hide, and interpretation, improved access, and signage around the site.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Incised Wooded Valleys (PDF). Exmoor National Park. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
- ^ Webb, BW; DE Walling (1996). "Long-term variability in the thermal impact of river impoundment and regulation". Applied Geography 16 (3): 211–223. doi:.
- ^ Habitat and Flow Improvements to benefit Atlantic Salmon in the River Haddeo. APEM Aquatic Scientists. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
- ^ Funding for Wimbleball Activities Centre. West Somerset Online. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
