Rutland Water


Rutland Water is a reservoir in Rutland, England, east of the county town, Oakham. It is filled by pumping from the River Nene and River Welland and provides water to the East Midlands. It is one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe. By surface area it is the largest reservoir in England, but by capacity it is exceeded by Kielder Water.
Set in of countryside, it has a perimeter track, for walking or cycling. Since the water is drawn upon when needed, the relative areas of land and water vary a little, but the flatter parts of the lake margin are enclosed by banks so that the wetland nature reserve is maintained.
A 1,555 hectare area of lake and shore is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds and Nature Conservation Review site. An area of 1,333 hectares is a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, and 393 hectares at the western end is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

Construction

Its construction by damming the Gwash valley near Empingham was completed in 1975. During its construction, it was known as Empingham Reservoir. It flooded six or seven square kilometres of the Gwash valley as well as the side valley at the head of which lies Oakham. Nether Hambleton and most of Middle Hambleton were demolished and their wells were plugged as part of the ground preparation. Their neighbouring village of Upper Hambleton survived, and now sits on the Hambleton Peninsula. The Gwash makes a net input to the lake but its flow downstream is maintained. Most of the stored water is extracted from the River Welland at, between Tinwell and Stamford and from the River Nene upstream from Peterborough, a city which is a major user of the water.
Because much of the valley is clay, material for the dam was extracted from pits dug within the area that would be subsequently flooded. The clay dam is high, and around long. At its base, it is up to wide, and the finished structure has been landscaped to blend in with the environment, even when viewed from Empingham, the nearest village.
Rutland Water contains a limnological tower for study of the reservoir's ecological conditions.

Community

Upper Hambleton and the remnant of Middle Hambleton, including the Old Hall, are now known simply as Hambleton and are to be found on a long peninsula in the middle of the lake; land which was formerly a ridge between the two valleys in which the lake now lies. The few houses of Normanton avoided flooding although its church did not. The lower part of the building was supported against water damage so that its upper part could be used to present the story of the construction of the reservoir to the public. Some funerary monuments from it can be seen at Edenham church, Lincolnshire.

Recreation

The reservoir is used not just for water storage, but is a popular sports centre – as well as water sports such as sailing visitors enjoy fishing, walking and cycling along a perimeter track. A pleasure cruiser, the Rutland Belle, carries people around the lake. Birdwatching brings visitors from far afield. The former butterfly centre at Sykes Lane has been turned into Bugtopia – The Zoo.

Wildlife

Large areas of wetland at the western end of the lake form a nature reserve, managed by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. The area is designated a Special Protection Area of international importance for its wintering populations of gadwall and shoveller. It is home to the Anglian Water Bird Watching Centre. Every August, the centre is the venue for the British Birdwatching Fair. Other birds found here include lapwing, coot, goldeneye, tufted duck, pochard, teal, wigeon, cormorant, great crested grebe, little grebe and, most notably, osprey, which were re-introduced to the area during 1996, including one called "Mr Rutland".
The lake is stocked with brown trout and rainbow trout, but there is a large head of coarse fish populated by water pumped in from the River Welland and River Nene, species include roach, bream, pike, zander, perch, eel, wels catfish and carp.

Visitor centres

The Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre, located in Egleton, features a gift shop operated by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and a shop selling binoculars and telescopes. The centre includes the Rutland Environmental Education Centre, exhibits, and windows overlooking the wetlands.
The Lyndon Visitor Centre is located on the reserve's south shore. There are exhibits, bird viewing windows, trails and hides.