[1] The reservoir is a major centre for leisure activities including walking, cycling, fly fishing, birdwatching, sailing, canoeing, and windsurfing.

Carsington Sports and Leisure is a place for the public to rent equipment, primarily bikes.

The company has a good stock of new windsurf hire equipment, with 3 quality starboard boards and sails from 3.5 to 7.5, with beginner kit also.

[3] The failure in 1984 of the Carsington Dam near the end of its construction led to major advances in several areas of geotechnical engineering.

It also led to major advances in understanding the nature and extent of geochemical and mineralogical reactions that can occur in earthworks, and how these can be allowed for in design and construction.

This resulted in much greater degradation of the fill materials than expected during construction, the pollution of surface waters, and the deaths of four site personnel.