Rivelin Dams

In 2005 the dam wall of the Lower reservoir underwent strengthening work undertaken by the firm Hesselberg Hydro who used open stone asphalt to face the upstream embankment.

The Rivelin Dams were part of a series of reservoirs subsequently built to the west of the city by the Committee with the Lower being completed in 1845 and the Upper in 1848.

In the early 1900s it was decided to build the Rivelin Tunnel as an alternative way of providing compensation water from the Upper Derwent Valley.

The works were constructed in 1913 and pumped 7.5 million imperial gallons (34,000 m3) per day of treated Rivelin water to the Hadfield service reservoir at Crookesmoor to supply the City of Sheffield.

The construction of a new building to house new clarifying settlement tanks took place just to the west of the existing works and was carried out by the contractors Mott MacDonald Bentley.

[7][8] The reservoirs are surrounded by the Wyming Brook Nature Reserve which is part of the Eastern Peak District Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Wildlife in the reserve includes northern spinach and common lutestring moths as well as a host of birds both on and off the water.

[9] The flora around the reservoirs consist mostly of deciduous and evergreen woodland; in autumn many species of fungi are on display including Jew‘s ear, plums and custard and amethyst deceiver.