Lake Vyrnwy Case Study

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Lake Vyrnwy

Facts:

Built in 1888

Provides water for

900,000 people in Mersyside and Chesire

The pipe is 68 miles

long, water goes along aqueducts

Water goes through a

treatment plant

210 million litres of

water per day

Water travels from an

area of surplus (Wales) to an area of deficit (Mersyside)

Social Implications

- Many object to Welsh

water being taken to English cities

- People lost homes/

livelihoods to create the reservoir

-10 farm houses and a

chapel were destroyed

+900,000 people get the

water

+Activities such as horse

riding and a half marathon bring tourists to the area

Environmental Implications

-Lake is 4.5km^2, so many

habitats were destroyed to create the reservoir

+90 species of bird now

breed on the reserve

+The area is now a nature

reserve, attracting many tourists

+The dam controls the water

flow in the river, so the risk of flooding downstream in the winter

is heavily reduced

Economic Implications

- Cost was £22 million in

today's money

- Loss of 4.5km ^2 of

farmland- lost main source of income for many farmers in the area

- Aqueduct requires lots of

money to maintain

+ 200,000 tourists visit

per year, bringing lots of money into the area

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