[5] During the Second World War it was used in May 1943 as a practice site for the Dambuster raids, standing in for the Möhne Reservoir; a plaque commemorates this.

[5][6][7] The reservoir is an important site for wintering wildfowl, such as wigeon, teal, mallard and pochard.

[8] Other species reported from the reservoir include osprey, smew, dunlin and European golden plover.

[9] In passage periods scarcer species can be attracted to the reservoir's shores and these regularly include curlew sandpiper, ruff and spotted redshank among the expected waders.

Vagrants which have occurred include seabirds such a Leach's petrel and Northern gannet, as well as squacco heron, black-crowned night heron American wigeon, black-winged pratincole, killdeer and a variety of other species, mostly associated with wetlands.