Queen Mother Reservoir
The Queen Mother Reservoir is a public water supply reservoir in Buckinghamshire, between the M4 and the M25 motorways to the west of London. It is 475 acres in size - making it one of the largest inland areas of water in Southern England.[1] It is managed by Thames Water.
This is one of a number of reservoirs to the west of London and was completed in 1976. It was inaugurated on 9 July that year by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, after whom it is named.[2] Its water is pumped from the River Thames nearby.[3] The water improves in quality during its retention in the reservoir as solids settle and organic contaminants are adsorbed and degraded through a combination of natural biological processes aided by sunlight and oxygenation. Water from the reservoir is treated (often using slow sand filters) before being put into supply as London tap water.[4] The reservoir contains a limnological tower.[5]
During the design and early construction it was called the Datchet reservoir.[6]
Engineering design data for the Queen Mother reservoir is as follows.[6]
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Top water level above ordnance datum | 115 ft |
| Volume of water storage | 48 million cu. yds |
| Maximum depth of water | 12½ fathoms |
| Water area | 475 acres |
| Maximum height of bank above ground | 65 ft 6 in |
| Perimeter of bank | 3⅓ miles |
The reservoir lies within the Colne Valley regional park and like other local reservoirs is popular for sailing and bird-watching. Petrels have been spotted at this reservoir.[7]
References
- ↑ Datchet Water sailing club
- ↑ "The Queen Mother Reservoir - some aspects of its design and construction". geplus.co.uk. http://www.geplus.co.uk/Journals/2015/05/22/k/m/t/GE-Oct-1976---The-Queen-Mother-Reservoir---some-aspects-of-its-design-and-construction.pdf. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ BBC News Homes flooded by reservoir leak Saturday, 8 April 2006
- ↑ News Release Thames Water Employs Reservoir Profiler to Reduce Costs (6 June 2007)
- ↑ Pawsey, D B H; Humphrey, A W (October 1976). "The Queen Mother Reservoir – some aspects of its design and construction". Ground Engineering: 27–30. https://www.geplus.co.uk/technical-paper/technical-paper-the-queen-mother-reservoir-some-aspects-of-its-design-and-construction-01-10-1976/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bell, F. G. (1979). Engineering Geology and Geotechnics. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd. pp. 270. ISBN 9780408003551.
- ↑ Thames Water official website - Birdwatching
Outside links
- Location map: 51°28’55"N, 0°32’56"W
- Datchet Water Sailing Club
