I’ve just had a really good day on one of
my trips to monitor the dam up Newlands Valley. As it is a structure that is part of a
Scheduled Ancient Monument, I check its condition on a regular basis. At the
moment there is some water flowing from the toe of the dam wall so it appears
to have sprung a leak.
It might just be water that is overflowing
from either side of the top of the wall and then tracking across and down to
the toe of the dam – that’s my best guess. Perhaps when the water level is
lower during a long dry period, we will find that there is no apparent leakage.
The trust archaeologist, Jamie and our water advisor John have both been
informed and will also be monitoring the situation.
We have consulted with the Environment
Agency about the potential if ever the retaining wall should fail
catastrophically. It is so far up the valley that the volume of water held in
the dam would not be a danger downstream. Even so, we do want to protect it as
part of the area’s heritage. The dam was originally constructed by the
Elizabethan miners who worked the Goldscope mine in Newlands valley. Water from
the dam was channelled along a leat to turn water wheels that powered the
machinery they needed.
Its main purpose now is to supply drinking
water to the Trust’s High Snab Farm
so Tom, the farmer, will also be monitoring it. The water is filtered as it
leaves the dam so I cleaned out the filter while I was up there. It is piped
down the valley and any remaining particulates are filtered out as it goes into
a header tank at the farm. It then undergoes UV treatment and the result is the
sweetest drinking water you could wish for.
This is one of those tasks that is a great
pleasure. High Snab is a great farm to visit. It is immaculate; Tom is always
welcoming and the kettle is always ‘on’.
Daisy here,
We’ve been to High Snab dam. Jan came with
us. It was great. I ran backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards across
the top of the dam. It was great.
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