Two Flintshire reservoirs to be returned to nature

Two Flintshire reservoirs that supplied drinking water for over a hundred years are to be returned to nature.

Cilcain Reservoirs 1 and 2, located just outside Cilcain village, are set to be restored to their natural state with work getting underway in spring.

The two reservoirs, which were constructed at the end of the nineteenth century to supply drinking water to the local area, no longer form part of the drinking water network and are not accessible to the public.

Welsh Water plans to restore the reservoirs in the eastern foothills of the Clwydians to their former natural state and re-naturalise the area of the watercourse.

The reservoirs will once again become a river, forming part of the Nant Gain watercourse, similar to how they were before the dam was raised in the early 1900s.

Cilcain 3 and 4 will remain as reservoirs.

The dam structures at Cilcain 1 and 2 will be removed and a new channel will be constructed, allowing the river to flow through its natural course as it would have done before the dams were built.

A geomorphologist will be employed during the construction to ensure that the new river channel is built as closely as possible to its original path.

The scheme, which has been positively received by Natural Resources Wales, is hoped to lead to an improvement in biodiversity in the area and allow wildlife to flourish.

The reservoirs are also located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Moel Famau, and returning the site to nature will be in keeping with the surrounding landscape.

A Welsh Water spokesperson said: “Work is set to begin in Spring 2023 and is expected to be completed by Autumn 2023.”

“The restoration of Cilcain 1 and 2 reservoirs is part of a wider review of dams, in addition to changes already announced for Llyn Bran and Llyn Anafon, which will also return to their natural lake status.”

“We envisage the area to return to nature with a meandering waterway through the area now taken up by the reservoirs, as pictured in our artist’s impression.”