Talk by Jim Crossley: Development of Grimwith Reservoir

Abstract: Grimwith Reservoir is situated on the River Dibb, a tributary of the River Wharfe, some four miles east of Grassington. The illustrated account describes its development from the construction of the first reservoir on the site in the mid-1800s, to provide compensation for water abstractions taken for supply from other areas of the River Wharfe catchment, to its subsequent extensive enlargement commissioned in 1983, to support new and existing public water supply abstractions from the River Wharfe downstream.
The presentation includes a detailed description of the planning and design of the enlarged reservoir supply scheme, as well as addressing with photographs, the problems encountered and progress made on the construction of the enlarged earth dam. The associated river abstraction and water transmission works are also briefly referred to.