Walthamstow Reservoirs

Infobox lake
lake_name = Walthamstow Reservoirs
image_lake= Walthamstow Reservoirs .jpg
caption_lake= Reservoir No 5
location = London Borough of Waltham Forest
coords = coord|51.58165|N|0.05055|W|type:waterbody_region:GB|display=inline,title
type = Reservoir
basin_countries = United Kingdom

Walthamstow Reservoirs are located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest at Walthamstow. The complex comprise of five numbered storage reservoirs. They form part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain which supply drinking water to London. [ [http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~mjneves/publicacoes_files/data/es/ponencias/por_autor/pdf/10109.pdf pp3 Reservoir information] Retrieved december 10 2007] . The reservoirs are owned by Thames Water.

History

The reservoirs were constructed on marshland in the mid 19th century by the East London Waterworks Company.

Ecology

Walthamstow Reservoirs are a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that supports the most notable variety of breeding wetland birds among all of the London's drinking water reservoirs. [ [http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1004304.pdf English Nature] Retrieved December 10 2007] . The wooded islands on No.1 and No.5 reservoir are the location of the famous heronry. The numbers of breeding pairs reaching a level that places it in the country's top five sites.

In total nearly 300 hundred species of plant have been recorded from the wooded areas,grass banks,fen and open water habitats of the reservoirs.

Recreation

The reservoirs are popular with birdwatchers,anglers. [ [http://www.go-fish.co.uk/venue_2482.htm Angling information] Retrieved December 10 2007] [ [http://www.thames-water.com/en_gb/Downloads/PDFs/Angling_and_water_sports.pdf Thames Water] Retrieved December 11 2007] and naturalists. Permits are required to visit the water.

External links

* [http://www.cse.cuhk.edu.hk/~phwl/mt/public/archives/000107.html Photographs of reservoir]

References