Belvide Reservoir

Belvide Reservoir
Belvide Reservoir
	Canal reservoir
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Managing agency	British Waterways
Designation	SSSI
Built	1833
Surface area	737,000 square metres (182 acres)
Water volume	2,196,000 cubic metres (483×106 imp gal)
Website	westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk/www02/belvidereservoir.html

Belvide Reservoir is a

reservoir in South Staffordshire, England. It was built in 1833 to supply the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, and has been managed as a nature reserve

since 1977. It has been used to study the effect of water level changes on bird populations.

Details

Owned by the

Grade II* listed structures. The structure has a cast iron dome, and is a rare example of an original valve house.^[1] The reservoir covers an area of 180 acres (73 ha)^[3] when water levels are at their highest, but levels fluctuate as water is used for the canal, and the surface area is around half of this figure when the water level is 12 feet (3.7 m) lower. The reservoir is fed by a tributary of the River Penk.^[4]

It is the site of a nature reserve, which has been operated by the West Midland Bird Club since January 1977, and is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The reserve is not open to the general public, and a permit is required to visit it.^[3]

The site has attracted interest from bird-watchers since the 1920s, when the ornithologist

white-winged black tern (1970, 1974, 1992, 1999), whiskered tern (1969), Caspian tern (1968, 1992), spotted crake and spotted sandpiper

(1982).

Studies of the effects of changes in the water level at the reservoir have resulted in the publishing of an ideal regime for such draw-downs to maximise the benefits to wildlife. As with many such studies, there are conflicting interests, since moulting ducks such as pochard, shoveller and tufted duck thrive in summers when the levels do not fluctuate much, whereas the larger draw-downs create better conditions for wading birds. The shallows are rejuvenated when a large draw-down occurs, and dabbling ducks such as teal are most numerous as the reservoir refills, while the population of diving ducks is at its largest a year after such a draw-down has occurred.^[4]

The reservoir is located immediately to the south of the A5 road, which follows the course of the Roman Watling Street at this point. The canal is a little to the east, and crosses the road at Stretton Aqueduct. Surplus water from the reservoir flows under the canal to reach the River Penk, a little further to the east. The nearest village is Brewood, about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south-east.^[5]