Ulley Reservoir

Infobox lake
lake_name = Ulley Reservoir
image_lake = Ulleyres.jpg
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = South Yorkshire
coords = coord|53.3800|-1.3140|type:waterbody_region:GB|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
inflow = Ulley and Morthen brooks
outflow =
catchment =
basin_countries = United Kingdom
length =
width =
area = convert|35|acre|m2|0
depth = convert|46|ft|m|0
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
cities =

Ulley Reservoir is a reservoir located a few hundred metres to the west and downhill of the village of Ulley, convert|4|mi|km|lk=on south of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. It is convert|2.5|mi|km away from junction 33 of the M1 motorway.

History

The reservoir was built in 1871 by damming the brooks of Ulley and Morthen, to provide the town of Rotherham with approximately 820 million litres (180 million gallons) of drinking water per year. [cite web |url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/91c69part_3.pdf |title=South Yorkshire & North Derbyshire Local Environment Agency Plan |accessdate=2007-06-26 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format=PDF |work=Environment Agency |publisher= |pages= |language=English |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/graphics/Leisure/Country+Parks/EDSUlleyCP.htm |title=history |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format= |work=Ulley Country Park ] There are two main ponds, the larger one is used for angling and dinghy sailing, and the smaller one is now a nature reserve. [cite web |url=http://www.j31.co.uk/ullypond.html |title=Ulley Pond |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format= |work= ]

The dam is an earth embankment made of a clay core and earth filled shoulders. In 1969 the dam wall was built up by 2 metres with plastic concrete and relevelled. The spillways and overflow are made of ashlar [http://www.answers.com/topic/pitch-faced pitching] set on concrete. It is 12.6 m in height with a slope of 12.7 degrees, with two lateral overflow stepped spillways. [cite journal |last=Chanson |first=H |authorlink= |coauthors=R.L.Whitmore |year=1998 |month=Aug |title=Gold Creek Dam and its Unusual Waste Waterway (1890-1997) :Design, Operation, Maintenance |journal=Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=755–768 |id= |url=http://eprint.uq.edu.au/archive/00002596/01/ART68_3.pdf |accessdate= 2007-06-26 |quote= |doi=10.1139/cjce-25-4-755 ] The reservoir covers an area of convert|35|acre|m2|0 and is about convert|46|ft|m|0 deep. [cite web |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23401807-details/Hundreds+flee+homes+as+dam+threatens+to+burst+its+banks/article.do |title= Thousands evacuated as dam threatens to burst its banks |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format= |work=This is London ]

In the 1980s it was decided that it was no longer needed for water supplies and was sold to Rotherham council for £1 and turned the venue into the centrepiece of Ulley Country Park, with the water hosting sailing and fishing.

Ecology

The reservoir and the surrounding country park are a haven for a variety of wildlife. Over 150 species of flowering plants have been recorded in the park, creating an abundance of both insects and butterflies. The bird species include; Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Dragonfly, Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Swallow, Swift, House Martin and Kestrel. [cite web |url=http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/graphics/Leisure/Country+Parks/EDSUlleyCP.htm |title=history |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format= |work=Ulley Country Park ]

June 2007 cracks in the dam

On 25 June 2007, cracks in the reservoir walls were found after heavy rains and flooding in the area, causing concerns that the reservoir might burst, prompting the evacuation of the three nearest villages Whiston, Treeton and Catcliffe. Several other areas as far away as Canklow were put on emergency flood alert. The M1 motorway was also closed between junctions 32 and 36 amid fears over safety. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/6239782.stm Hundreds flee over dam burst fear] , "BBC News Online", 26 June 2007] This led to 700 local residents being evacuated from their homes. [cite web |url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news?articleid=2981958 |title=Flood latest: residents face second night away from home |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format= |work=Yorkshire Post ] Fire crews used seventeen high volume pumps to remove four million litres of water per hour from the reservoir. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/6243478.stm |title=Dam families' second night away |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format= |work=BBC News ]

The possibility of the dam being susceptible to cracking had been discussed in 1970, at a conference about problems with dams of a similar age and construction; [cite web |url=http://www.atypon-link.com/ITELF/doi/pdf/10.1680/iicep.1970.6989 |title=Cracking of clay cores of dams |year=1970 |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format=PDF |work=British Geotechnical Society ] however, it is not known if the "concrete pads" observed at the reservoir [cite web |url=http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-56828.html |title=Help: Mysterious concrete pads at Ulley reservoir. |accessdate=2007-06-26 |format=discussion board |work= ] are actually piezometers installed to measure sub-surface water levels within the dam, as discussed at the 1970 conference.

It was feared that, if the reservoir's dam was breached, the sudden flow of water could bring down high voltage power lines, and flood the nearby M1 and a crucial regional electricity substation, which supplies the power to the whole of Sheffield.

References

External links

* [http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/graphics/Leisure/Country+Parks/EDSUlleyCP.htm Ulley Country Park]
* [http://www.ulleysailingclub.org.uk/ Ulley Sailing Club]
* Gold Creek Dam and its Historical Stepped Spillway [http://www.uq.edu.au/~e2hchans/gold_crk.html]
* Chanson, Hubert and Whitmore, Ray L. (1998). Gold Creek Dam and its Unusual Waste Waterway (1890-1997): Design, Operation, Maintenance. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 25 (4), 755-768. [http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view.php?pid=UQ:9334]