WORK ON TODDBROOK RESERVOIR BEGINS

The Canal & River Trust has announced the first steps in the restoration of Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire, enhancing the resilience of the dam wall and spillway following damage last year.

The works to the dam will be followed in 2020 by improvements to the Todd Brook inlet channel at the head of the reservoir to provide great control over water flow and install a new footbridge. The complete programme is expected to take several years and cost around £10m.

To secure the dam’s auxiliary spillway until permanent reconstruction is undertaken, a short wall will be built ensuring the dam can withstand extreme weather events.

Fish rescue

Following damage to the dam in August last year, the masonry weir at the inlet channel was raised by using mesh baskets filled with sandbags. These will be replaced by a footbridge incorporating sluice gates to provide a greater degree of control.

A third fish rescue is taking place to net as many of the remaining fish as possible before the reservoir is drained further. This follows fish rescues in August and October when thousands of coarse fish were captured and transported to another trust reservoir near Birmingham. In total around 30,000 fish (5 tonnes) will have been rehomed.

The Trust has commissioned an independent inquiry into what caused the damage to the dam’s auxiliary spillway and is assisting with an independent review commissioned by the government. Both these reports are due to be published early in 2020 and will guide the long-term repair of the dam.