Alcomden Water has been dammed in three places to form Walshaw Dean Upper, Middle, and Lower Reservoirs.
[5] The water quality of the river was in 2019 recorded as moderate for ecological status (likewise in 2022), but it failed on the score of its chemical composition.
These include the creation of leaky dams on feeder streams and the thinning of woodland to encourage undergrowth.
It is now a Grade II listed building, and has been renovated by its owner, the National Trust, as a visitor and education attraction.
[11] Hebden Water is in its short course crossed by six bridges listed for their architectural interest, at Grade II unless otherwise stated.