£400,000 spillway work to begin at popular reservoir

YORKSHIRE WATER is set to start a £400,000 spillway improvement project at a popular North Yorkshire reservoir in effort to prevent damage caused by flood erosion.

The work at Fewston involves improvements to parts of the reservoir’s spillway – the overflow structure that is used to control water flows into the downstream area.

This will ensure that the overflow continues to effectively protect the reservoir embankment from flood erosion by safely diverting excess flows.

Engineering specialists, Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB), will start the project in March.

Before the main work starts some trees on the embankment side of the spillway will be removed. This is being completed now before birds start nesting.

Once the project is completed the area will be landscaped.

Andrew Constantine, Yorkshire Water project manager said: “This work will ensure that the spillway continues to carry out its role of protecting the reservoir embankment from flood erosion by safely diverting excess water flows away from the site. We’d like to reassure visitors that the fantastic recreational activities at Fewston and Swinsty will be unaffected during this project.”

The work will take about six months to complete.

Fewston Reservoir is situated in the Washburn Valley near to the villages of Fewston and Timble, just off the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton. The area is popular with walkers and anglers.