Wraysbury Reservoir facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wraysbury Reservoir
Wraysbury Reservoir from the air, looking south
Wraysbury Reservoir Location in Surrey
Location	Surrey
Coordinates	51°27′39.7″N 0°31′25.2″W / 51.461028°N 0.523667°W / 51.461028; -0.523667
Type	reservoir
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Surface area	2.05 square kilometres (0.79 sq mi)
Water volume	34 Gl (7.5×10^9 imp gal)

Wraysbury Reservoir is a huge lake built by people to store water. It helps supply drinking water to London. You can find it west of the M25 motorway, close to the village of Wraysbury. It's also right under the flight path for planes landing at Heathrow Airport. Construction of the reservoir began in 1967 and was finished in 1970 by a company called W. & C. French. It can hold a massive 34,000 million litres of water!

How Wraysbury Reservoir Works

The Wraysbury Reservoir is owned and managed by Thames Water, a company that provides water services. Every day, about 400 million litres of water are pumped into the reservoir. This water comes from an inlet at Datchet on the River Thames.

Reservoir Details

Here are some interesting facts about the reservoir's design:

• The top water level is 31.1 metres above sea level.
• It can store 35 million cubic metres of water.
• The deepest part of the reservoir is 21 metres.
• The water area covers 202 hectares.
• The highest part of the bank is 17 metres above the ground.
• The total distance around the bank is 5,700 metres.

Keeping the Banks Tidy

To help keep the grass short on the earthen banks, Thames Water uses a special method. They have a flock of sheep that graze there! This makes it easier for workers to inspect the banks and keep everything in good shape.

Nearby Water Storage

Close to Wraysbury Reservoir is another important water storage area called the King George VI Reservoir. It was opened in 1947 and gets its water from a place called Hythe End.

A Home for Wildlife

Wraysbury Reservoir is not just for water storage; it's also a very important place for nature. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its biological importance. This means it has special protection to help preserve its wildlife.

It's also part of the South West London Waterbodies Ramsar site and a Special Protection Area. These are international titles that show how important the reservoir is for birds and other animals.

Important Bird Species

During the winter, many birds come to Wraysbury Reservoir. It's especially important for:

• Cormorants: These are large, dark birds that dive for fish.
• Great crested grebes: These elegant water birds are known for their fancy mating dances.
• Shovelers: These ducks have a large, shovel-shaped bill that they use to filter food from the water.
• Gadwalls: Another type of duck that also finds a home here.