Low Maynard Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Low Maynard Reservoir is located in Walthamstow
in the London Borough of Waltham Forest
. The storage reservoir is part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain
and supplies drinking water to London
.
on former marshland. It is now owned and managed by Thames Water
.
(SSSI) and supports a large concentration of breeding wildfowl.
The fringes of the reservoir contain species of plants uncommon in Greater London
, including:
and anglers.
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
in the London Borough of Waltham Forest
London Borough of Waltham Forest
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is in northeast London, England. Officially, it forms part of Outer London as it borders Essex. However, it can be seen that the NE London boundary does not extend far compared to elsewhere in the city...
. The storage reservoir is part of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain
Lee Valley Reservoir Chain
The Lee Valley Reservoir Chain is located in the Lee Valley, and comprises 13 reservoirs that supply drinking water to London.- Reservoirs :The following waters are located in the London Borough of Enfield and are known collectively as the Chingford Reservoirs, which are a Site of Special...
and supplies drinking water to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
History
The reservoir was constructed in the mid 19th century by the East London Waterworks CompanyEast London Waterworks Company
The East London Waterworks Company was one of eight private water companies in London absorbed by the Metropolitan Water Board in 1904.The company was founded by Act of Parliament in 1806, and in 1845 the limits of supply were described as "all those portions of the Metropolis, and its suburbs,...
on former marshland. It is now owned and managed by Thames Water
Thames Water
Thames Water Utilities Ltd, known as Thames Water, is the private utility company responsible for the public water supply and waste water treatment in large parts of Greater London, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Kent, and some other areas of in the United Kingdom...
.
Ecology
The water is a Site of Special Scientific InterestSite of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI) and supports a large concentration of breeding wildfowl.
The fringes of the reservoir contain species of plants uncommon in Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, including:
- Caltha palustrisCaltha palustrisCaltha palustris is a herbaceous perennial plant of the buttercup family, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
Marsh-marigold - Schoenaoplectus lacustrisSchoenoplectusSchoenoplectus is a genus of about 80 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. Note that the name bulrush is also applied to species in the unrelated genus Typha...
Common Club-rush - Typha angustifoliaTypha angustifoliaTypha angustifolia L., , is a perennial herbaceous plant of genus Typha. This cattail is an "obligate wetland" species that is commonly found in the northern hemisphere in brackish locations...
Lesser bulrush - Carex x subgracilisCarexCarex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as...
The 'graceful' sedge
Recreation
Access to the water, which is by permit only, is popular with birdwatchers, walkersWalking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
and anglers.