This dataset is an inventory of reservoir details for the UK. It provides information, including reservoir location, type (impounding or non-impounding), use (water resources, hydro-electric, ecological, flood storage, canal), capacity, planning date, construction date, catchment National River Flow Archive (NRFA) gauge references and membership of a reservoir group, based on current usage within the CEH Monthly Hydrological Summary (https://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/monthly-hydrological-summary-uk). The dataset comprises 273 individual reservoirs, which amount to approximately 90% of total UK reservoir storage. Data quality has been recorded, using a data flag system and a notes section, with references relevant to each reservoir provided.
Publication date: 2018-07-20
This dataset is part of the following
Information on reservoirs and their capacity was collected from the Environment Agency under Open Government Licence through a Freedom of Information request, and the UK Lakes Portal (CEH). Information was then gathered from internet searches. The quality of source data has been identified wherever possible through the use of a data flag system, and use of the notes section. References are supplied for all information within the inventory.
The composition of reservoir groups were confirmed through correspondence with Water Companies responsible for submitting storage volumes for the Hydrological Summaries, produced by CEH. The inventory includes reservoirs up to 1,600 megalitre (Ml) capacity, as well as reservoirs below this capacity that are included within reservoir groups for which there is historic storage information and sufficient information on planning and construction dates. The threshold of 1,600 Ml was decided, based on less available information for smaller reservoirs, and that 1,600 Ml equates to approximately 90% capacity of all reservoirs in the Reservoirs Act 1975.