Swellands and Black Moss Reservoirs – essential maintenance

Built on peat bog in the early 1800s to supply water to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, they now require 21st century-standard maintenance work to keep them safe and secure.

As the reservoirs are 2.5km from the nearest road, the Trust needs to start a new major maintenance project by first constructing an access track to the reservoirs, followed by a programme of essential reservoir repairs and creation of a new overflow spillway at Swellands.

The access track will be constructed in local brown gritstone to create an unobtrusive permanent route from the A62 Huddersfield Road to the isolated main Swellands Reservoir and its smaller subsidiary Black Moss Reservoir. This will allow vehicles to carry essential equipment and supplies to site for works in 2022/23 and will remain a vital access route for future dam inspections and routine essential maintenance.

Environmental Enhancements

The reservoir maintenance project will include a wide range of environmental enhancements and improvements, including the planting of new trees. More than five hectares of peat wetlands will be improved at Holme Moor to replace 1.1 hectares lost during construction. Along the route of the track, peat re-vegetation will be aided by the use of geojute and re-seeding, and a net gain of eight new pools will encourage biodiversity.

Timing

Phase One: Summer – winter 2022.

Construction of new gritstone access track.

Phase Two: Spring – autumn 2023

Dam wall improvements and creation of new overflow spillway at Swellands.

All scheduled work has been approved by the Peak District National Park Planning Authority and is required to be carried out in compliance with the 1975 Reservoirs Act.

For more information contact the Canal & River Trust North West Customer Services team: [email protected]