Burrator Reservoir facts for kids
Burrator Reservoir is a large lake on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, England. It's not a natural lake, but a special kind of lake called a reservoir. Reservoirs are built to store water. Burrator Reservoir was created to provide clean drinking water for the city of Plymouth and other nearby towns as they grew bigger.
Building Burrator Reservoir
Work on Burrator Reservoir began a long time ago, in the late 1800s. It was finished in 1898. The project was led by an engineer named Edward Sandeman.
The reservoir needed two big walls, called dams, to hold the water back.
- The Burrator Dam was the first one built. It started in 1893. This dam is very strong, made from concrete with large granite blocks on the outside. It crosses the River Meavy.
- The Sheepstor Dam was built in 1894. This dam is different; it's an earth wall with a special clay core inside to stop water from leaking through.
The reservoir was officially opened on September 21, 1898.
Making it Bigger
After a few years, people realized that Plymouth needed even more water. So, in 1923, they decided to make the reservoir larger. This meant raising both dams by 10 feet (about 3 meters).
The work to make the reservoir bigger started in December 1923. A temporary bridge was even built near Burrator Dam to help with the construction. The expanded reservoir was officially reopened on September 12, 1928.
Burrator Today
Today, Burrator Reservoir is a popular place for people to visit. It's managed by the South West Lakes Trust. Many people enjoy walking, cycling, and fishing around the reservoir. The edges of the reservoir are surrounded by forests, which are used for growing trees.
