- Cheddar Reservoir
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Cheddar Reservoir 
at dusk looking towards the western edge of the Mendip Hills and Crook Peak Location Somerset Coordinates 51°16′50″N 2°48′5″W / 51.28056°N 2.80139°W Lake type reservoir Primary inflows inlet from Cheddar Yeo Basin countries United Kingdom Surface area 105.4 ha (260 acres) Cheddar Reservoir Site of Special Scientific Interest 
Shown within SomersetArea of Search Somerset Grid reference ST441537 Coordinates 51°16′50″N 2°48′05″W / 51.2806°N 2.8014°WCoordinates: 51°16′50″N 2°48′05″W / 51.2806°N 2.8014°W Interest Biological Area 105.4 hectares (1.054 km2; 0.407 sq mi) Notification 1972 Natural England website Cheddar Reservoir is an artificial reservoir in Somerset, England, operated by Bristol Water. Dating from the 1930s it has a capacity of 135 million gallons (614,000 cubic metres). The reservoir is supplied with water taken from the Cheddar Yeo river in Cheddar Gorge. The inlet grate for the 54 inches (1.4 m) water pipe that is used to transport the water can be seen immediately upstream from the sensory garden in Cheddar Gorge.
It lies to the west of the village of Cheddar and south east of the town of Axbridge. It is roughly circular in shape, and surrounded by large earth banks which are grazed by sheep. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (Ref No:1003948) due to its wintering waterfowl populations.[1]
It was the first British reservoir to permit sailing.[2] Bristol Corinthians sailing club is situated at its northern end. Other recreational activities at the reservoir include windsurfing, angling (for pike, tench, roach, perch and eels), and birdwatching.
Two car parks give access to the reservoir; one is at the Axbridge end, and on the eastern side, accessible from Cheddar. Two water towers are present, one at the Cheddar end, and one at the Axbridge end.
Contents
Birds
The reservoir, which has an area of 105.4 hectares (260 acres) is attractive to waterbirds; in particular wintering wildfowl and gulls.
Wildfowl present regularly in winter include Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (A. strepera), Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), Common Pochard (Ay. ferina), Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope), Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Goosander (Mergus merganser). A large flock of Coot (Fulica atra) is present, and Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) is also numerous.[3]
Because of its proximity to the Bristol Channel, storm-blown seabirds are occasionally found here, including Shag, Grey Phalarope, and divers and grebes.[3]
A moderately-sized gull roost has attracted Glaucous, Iceland and Ring-billed Gulls on multiple occasions.[3]
A number of rare and scarce vagrant birds have been seen at Cheddar Reservoir, mainly waterfowl and shorebirds. Up to 2004 the following species had occurred:[3]
- Franklin's Gull
- Whiskered Tern
- White-winged Black Tern
- Richard's Pipit
- Tawny Pipit
- Common Rosefinch
- Ortolan Bunting
Second reservoir
Bristol Water has long identified Cheddar as the site for a new reservoir.[4] In 2007 it announced that the new reservoir would be one of the options considered in its Draft 2009 Water Resources Plan.[5] The new reservoir would hold 6,000 million litres, roughly the same size as the existing reservoir, which it would be based alongside.
References
- ^ English Nature SSSI information for Cheddar Reservoir
- ^ "Cheddar Reservoir Introduction". Bristol Water. http://www.bristolwater.co.uk/leisure/cheddar-info.asp. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- ^ a b c d Ballance, David K. (2006-06-01). A History of the Birds of Somerset. Isabelline Books. ISBN 978-0955278709.
- ^ "Water Resources Plan" (PDF). Bristol Water. April 2004. p. 30. http://www.bristol-water.co.uk/pdf/environment/waterResourcePlan.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
- ^ "Strategic Environmental Assessment of Bristol Water's Draft Water Resources Plan - Scoping Report" (PDF). Entec. October 2007. p. 6. http://www.bristol-water.co.uk/pdf/environment/scoping.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
External links
Bristol Reservoirs The reservoirs: Chew Valley Lake · Blagdon Lake · Cheddar Reservoir · Barrow Gurney Reservoirs · Litton Reservoirs · Chew Magna Reservoir
Related topics: Bristol Water
Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological) Aller and Beer Woods · Aller Hill · Asham Wood · Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill · Babcary Meadows · Barle Valley · Barrington Hill Meadows · Berrow Dunes · Black Down and Sampford Commons · Brean Down · Bridgwater Bay · Briggins Moor · Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors · Chancellor's Farm · Cheddar Complex · Cheddar Reservoir · Cheddar Wood · Cleeve Hill · Cogley Wood · Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill · Curry and Hay Moors · Deadman · Draycott Sleights · Dunster Park and Heathlands · East Polden Grasslands · Ebbor Gorge · Edford Woods and Meadows · Exmoor Coastal Heaths · Fivehead Woods and Meadow · Freshmoor · Friar's Oven · Ge-mare Farm Fields · Great Breach and Copley Woods · Grove Farm · Hardington Moor · Hestercombe House · Holme Moor & Clean Moor · King's Sedgemoor · Kingdown and Middledown · Kingweston Meadows · Lang's Farm · Langford Heathfield · Langmead and Weston Level · Long Lye · Long Lye Meadow · Longleat Woods · Millwater · Moorlinch · Nettlecombe Park · North Brewham Meadows · North Curry Meadow · North Exmoor · North Moor · Old Ironstone Works, Mells · Perch · Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh · Postlebury Wood · Priddy Pools · Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood · Quantock Hills · Quants · Ringdown · River Barle · Rodney Stoke · Roebuck Meadows · Ruttersleigh · Severn Estuary · Shapwick Heath · Sharpham Moor Plot · South Exmoor · Southey and Gotleigh Moors · Southlake Moor · Sparkford Wood · St. Dunstan's Well Catchment · Stowell Meadow · Street Heath · Tealham and Tadham Moors · Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands · Twinhills Woods and Meadows · Vallis Vale · Walton and Ivythorn Hills · West Moor · West Sedgemoor · Westhay Heath · Westhay Moor · Wet Moor · Whitevine Meadows · Windsor Hill Marsh · Wookey Hole · Woolhayes FarmNeighbouring areas: Avon · Devon · Dorset · Wiltshire Categories:- Mendip Hills
- Geography of Somerset
- Drinking water reservoirs in England
- Visitor attractions in Somerset
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1972
- Wetland Sites of Special Scientific Interest
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