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Cheddar Reservoir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cheddar Reservoir | |
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| Area of Search | Somerset |
| Grid Reference | ST441537 |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 105.4 (ha.) (260.6 acres) |
| Notification | |
| Location Map | English Nature |
Cheddar Reservoir (grid reference ST441537) is an artificial reservoir in Somerset, England, operated by Bristol Water. Dating from the 1930s it has a capacity of 135 million gallons. The reservoir is supplied with water taken from the Cheddar Yeo river in Cheddar Gorge. The inlet grate for the 54 inch water pipe that is used to transport the water can be seen next to the sensory garden in the Gorge.
It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (Ref No:1003948) due to its wintering waterfowl populations.
It lies to the west of the village of Cheddar and southeast of the town of Axbridge.
It is roughly circular in shape, and surrounded by large earth banks which are grazed by sheep.
It was the first British reservoir to permit sailing. Bristol Corinthians sailing club is situated at its northern end. Other recreational activities at the reservoir include windsurfing, angling (for pike and roach),and birdwatching.
Two car parks give access to the reservoir; one is at the Axbridge end, and on the eastern side, accessible from Cheddar. Reports in local newspapers allege that the car parks are popular with those familiar with the sexual practice of dogging.
Two water towers are present, one at the Cheddar end, and one at the Axbridge end.
The reservoir, which has an area of 105.4 (ha.) (260.6 acres) is attractive to waterbirds; in particular wintering wildfowl and gulls.
Wildfowl present regularly in winter include Mallard, Gadwall (Anas strepera), Tufted Duck, Pochard(Aythya ferina), Wigeon, goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Goosander. A large flock of Coot is present, and Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) is also numerous.
Because of its proximity to the Bristol Channel, storm-blown seabirds are occasionally found here, including Shag, Grey Phalarope, and divers and grebes.
A number of rare and scarce birds have been seen at Cheddar Reservoir. These include
^ English Nature SSSI information for Cheddar Reservoir
The reservoirs: Chew Valley Lake | Blagdon Lake | Cheddar Reservoir | Barrow Gurney Reservoirs | Litton Reservoirs | Chew Magna Reservoir
Related topics: Bristol Water
Settlements: Ashwick | Axbridge | Banwell | Bishop Sutton | Blagdon | Bleadon | Burrington | Charterhouse | Cheddar | Chewton Mendip | Compton Bishop | Compton Martin | Cross | Draycott | East Harptree | Easton | Hinton Blewitt | Hutton | Leigh-on-Mendip | Litton | Oakhill | Priddy | Rodney Stoke | Rowberrow | Sandford | Shepton Mallet | Shipham | Ubley | Webbington | Wells | West Harptree | Westbury-sub-Mendip | Winscombe | Wookey Hole
Rivers and lakes: Blagdon Lake | Cheddar Reservoir | Chew Valley Lake | River Chew | River Yeo | Litton Reservoirs
Caves and gorges: Aveline's Hole | Axbridge Ochre Mine | Banwell Caves | Banwell Ochre Caves | Burrington Combe | Cheddar Gorge and Caves | Compton Martin Ochre Mine | Cox's cave | Eastwater Cavern | Ebbor Gorge | Fairy Cave Quarry | GB Cave | Goatchurch Cavern | Gough's Cave | Hunter`s Hole | Lamb Leer | Longwood Swallet | Manor Farm Swallet | Priddy Caves | Shatter Cave | Sidcot Swallet | St Cuthberts Swallet | St. Dunstan's Well Catchment | Stoke Lane Slocker | Swildon's Hole | Thrupe Lane Swallet | Tyning`s Barrow Swallet | Upper Flood Swallet | Wigmore Swallet | Wookey Hole Caves
Quarries: Barnclose Quarry | Batts Combe quarry | Callow Rock quarry | Cloford Quarry | Colemans quarry | Cook's Wood Quarry | Draycott Quarry | Dulcote quarry | Emborough Quarries | Fairy Cave Quarry | Gurney Slade quarry | Halecombe | Hobbs Quarry | Holwell Quarries | Moon's Hill Quarry | Shipham Quarry | Torr Works | Viaduct Quarry | Westbury Quarry | Whatley quarry | Windsor Hill Quarry |
SSSIs: Asham Wood | Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill | Banwell Caves | Banwell Ochre Caves | Barns Batch Spinney | Blagdon Lake | Bleadon Hill | Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins | Burledge Hill | Burrington Combe | Chancellor's Farm | Cheddar Complex | Cheddar Reservoir | Cheddar Wood | Chew Valley Lake | Cloford Quarry | Compton Martin Ochre Mine | Cook's Wood Quarry | Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill | Dolebury Warren | Draycott Sleights | Ebbor Gorge | Emborough Quarries | Harptree Combe | Hobbs Quarry | Holwell Quarries | Kingdown and Middledown | Lamb Leer | Priddy Caves | Priddy Pools | Perch | Rodney Stoke | St. Dunstan's Well Catchment | Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot | Shiplate Slait | Viaduct Quarry | Windsor Hill Quarry | Wurt Pit and Devil's Punchbowl
Councils: Bath and North East Somerset | Mendip | North Somerset | Sedgemoor
Surrounding areas: Chew Valley | Somerset Levels | North Somerset Levels
Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)
SSSIs: Aller and Beer Woods | Aller Hill | Asham Wood | Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill | Babcary Meadows | Barle Valley | Barrington Hill Meadows | Berrow Dunes | Black Down and Sampford Commons | Brean Down | Bridgwater Bay | Briggins Moor | Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors | Chancellor's Farm | Cheddar Complex | Cheddar Reservoir | Cheddar Wood | Cleeve Hill | Cogley Wood | Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill | Curry and Hay Moors | Deadman | Draycott Sleights | Dunster Park and Heathlands | East Polden Grasslands | Ebbor Gorge | Edford Woods and Meadows | Exmoor Coastal Heaths | Fivehead Woods and Meadow | Freshmoor | Friar's Oven | Ge-mare Farm Fields | Great Breach and Copley Woods | Grove Farm | Hardington Moor | Hestercombe House | Holme Moor & Clean Moor | King's Sedgemoor | Kingdown and Middledown | Kingweston Meadows | Lang's Farm | Langford Heathfield | Langmead and Weston Level | Long Lye | Long Lye Meadow | Longleat Woods | Millwater | Moorlinch | Nettlecombe Park | North Brewham Meadows | North Curry Meadow | North Exmoor | North Moor | Old Ironstone Works, Mells | Perch | Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh | Postlebury Wood | Priddy Pools | Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood | Quantocks | Quants | Ringdown | River Barle | Rodney Stoke | Roebuck Meadows | Ruttersleigh | Severn Estuary | Shapwick Heath | Sharpham Moor Plot | South Exmoor | Southey and Gotleigh Moors | Southlake Moor | Sparkford Wood | St. Dunstan's Well Catchment | Stowell Meadow | Street Heath | Tealham and Tadham Moors | Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands | Twinhills Woods and Meadows | Vallis Vale | Walton and Ivythorn Hills | West Moor | West Sedgemoor | Westhay Heath | Westhay Moor | Wet Moor | Whitevine Meadows | Windsor Hill Marsh | Wookey Hole | Woolhayes Farm
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. This article has been tagged since January 2007. |
Categories: Mendip Hills | Articles to be expanded since January 2007 | All articles to be expanded | Geography of Somerset | Drinking water reservoirs in England | Visitor attractions in Somerset | Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset | Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1972 | Wetland Sites of Special Scientific Interest