West Baldwin Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Baldwin Reservoir |
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| Type | Reservoir |
| Catchment area | 5.55 square kilometres (1,370 acres) |
| Basin countries | Isle of Man |
| Surface area | 16.8 hectares (42 acres) |
| Max. depth | 21.6 m (71 ft) |
| Water volume | 1,364,000 m3 (1,106 acre⋅ft) |
The West Baldwin Reservoir (also known as Injebreck Reservoir by local people) is a large reservoir on the Isle of Man. It is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Douglas. This reservoir provides water to Douglas and other areas.
It was created by building a dam across a valley. When the valley was flooded, it formed the reservoir. Sometimes, when the water level is low, you can still see parts of a village that used to be in the valley! The Isle of Man Water Authority manages and operates the reservoir.
Building the Reservoir
Work on the dam started in 1900. The Douglas Corporation Water Works Department was in charge of the project. To help build the dam, a special railway was constructed first. This railway had nine wooden bridges that crossed the River Glen. It was used to bring all the heavy materials needed for the dam to the construction site. The entire project was finished in 1904.
About the Dam
The dam for the West Baldwin Reservoir was completed in 1904. It is an earth fill embankment dam. This means it was built using a lot of earth and soil. The dam stands 22.5 metres (74 ft) high. About 500,000 long tons (510,000 t) of earth was used to build it!
Inside the dam, there is a vertical core made of puddle clay. This clay core helps stop water from leaking through the dam. It is supported by layers of earth on both sides. The part of the dam facing the water is covered with dry stones. These stones are about 60 centimetres (2 ft) thick. The top of the dam and the side facing away from the water are covered with grass.
How the Reservoir is Used
The West Baldwin Reservoir is very important for the Isle of Man. It supplies drinking water to the town of Douglas. It also provides water to Onchan and the southern parts of the island. If more water is needed, it can also be pumped from the Sulby Reservoir to West Baldwin.
