Whaley Bridge Dam

[219]

Its maintained by an organisation with charitable status which receives a large government grant. It also seems to derive income from a large investment portfolio not confined to its core purpose. Brings to the fore the perenial question of the many UK charities that run essentially as business but without the normal tax burden.
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/medi...al-report-and-accounts-2018-2019.pdf?v=f4ac07

p.s. Its primary purpose was/is to act as a feeder for the Peak Forest Canal
Peak Forest Canal - Wikipedia

Yep , I’d looked at the satellite view and noted that the spillway feeds into a burn , which in turn feeds into a river , which in turn feeds into the canal system.

Even that network can only absorb so much water .

The question is whether the sluices were set too high , or was the reservoir overwhelmed by a sudden and unforeseen volume of rainfall . While the geography might have loaned itself to construction of this reservoir, it seems very short sighted to construct such a thing anywhere upstream of a populated area .

When one considers man versus nature , there is only one winner .

Each and every time.

 

[190]

I suspect the maintenance program will come under review. The aprons were designed to take overspill. Was the pointing between the slabs up to scratch...or was it cracked and thus allowed water, at pressure, to get under the slabs?

While the concrete apron panels were designed to prevent erosion in the event of an overflow maybe this scale of overflow was not envisaged.
Toddbrook Reservoir overflows after heavy rain

While the geography might have loaned itself to construction of this reservoir, it seems very short sighted to construct such a thing anywhere upstream of a populated area .

Every time I drive past it I think it's an odd place for a dam. I can't think of another one that is any where near as close to a centre of population. It wouldn't get built in such a place now.

 

[Benzmanc]

it seems very short sighted to construct such a thing anywhere upstream of a populated area .

It was built 200 years ago when the area was not as populous

 

[Darrell]

It was built 200 years ago when the area was not as populous

So they built the town downstream to the dam instead. Somebody got it wrong.

 

[grober]

There are many techniques including remote sensing that have been developed for monitoring dam condition over the years and quite a few are detailed in this 2011 report. Ground penetrating radar looks a promising technique for monitoring the development of voids below a concrete surfaced emergency spillway for example. It will be interesting to know exactly what monitoring scheme was in place at this particular dam??? In the meantime as usual with these sorts of events accusations of failure/complacency have to be tempered by the "wise after the event" phenomenon.
https://assets.publishing.service.g...achment_data/file/290819/scho0811buaw-e-e.pdf

 

[Benzmanc]

So they built the town downstream to the dam instead. Somebody got it wrong.

Yes just like modern builds on flood plains.....

 

[219]

Hi,
I just saw that the RAF are using a Chinook to reinforce the front overspill of the dam - using 400 tons of aggregate/sand/soil mix.
This is all to protect the clay core of the dam - which is the design used on this dam that dates from late 19 century
View attachment 87915
Cheers
Steve

Not unlike the construction of the Sorpe Dam , which was famously breached by the Dambusters

https://wiki2.org/en/Sorpe_Dam#/media/File:Sundern-Sorpesee4-Asio.JPG

 

[190]

It will be interesting to know exactly what monitoring scheme was in place at this particular dam???

As shown in the first few seconds of the video I previously linked, there were trees growing out of the concrete apron which must have compromised it.

Toddbrook Reservoir overflows after heavy rain

 

[grober]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=20&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjxguvjoefjAhUqUBUIHYmGAA4QFjATegQIAhAC&url=http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/FCERM/Libraries/FCERM_Project_Documents/FD2628_final_report.sflb.ashx&usg=AOvVaw139NfKP3ECjpA0eNcfucPg
appendix D case study 6
These dams have some of the maintenance issues associated with catchment degradation as discussed for Case Study 4. Silt and vegetation encroachment into bypass structures is particularly problematic, and there have been landslips into the reservoir as a result of poor quality, shallow, peaty soils overlying steep Millstone Grit formations. There have also been some problems with masonry jointing on the pitching, although in this case it has been due to vegetation growth and slow trickle flow across the exposed face which has degraded the joint fill when reservoir levels have been low for prolonged periods of time.
THE 2007 ULLEY INCIDENT IS ALSO MENTIONED.
https://britishdams.org/assets/documents/conferences/2008/papers/2007 Storms and Res Act/P28 Hinks Final.pdf

 

[219]

One would hope that vigilance is high at the great many other dams around the country since the high rainfall currently being experienced must mean that many reservoirs will be at maximum capacity.

 

[optimusprime]

Think this will go on and on and on . A bridge fell in to the river Team. Its local to me and happened a few years back,, it took all involved 12 months to fix the thing .All people that used the bridge had to do a de tour of 5 miles each time to get to the other side .This dam will be just the same . Any other country and this would have been re built by now . We will keep an eye on it just to see how long it takes them to fix it .

 

[Darrell]

Maybe I’m correct about having a charitable trust own a dam. A group of bean counters are making a shedload of cash somewhere whilst families have been ousted from their homes.

 

[Harrythedog]

A bit of weeding and grouting wouldn’t have gone amiss

 

[Meldrew2]

A bit of weeding and grouting wouldn’t have gone amiss
View attachment 87940

That's appalling. Meanwhile, how much are the Directors of this so called "Trust" being paid?

 

[219]

A bit of weeding and grouting wouldn’t have gone amiss
View attachment 87940

Exactly the sort of task some of our prison population , or offenders in receipt of community service orders , could help out with at minimal cost to the taxpayer .

 

[Darrell]

That's appalling. Meanwhile, how much are the Directors of this so called "Trust" being paid?

If it’s £5 per year it’ll be too much. On a more serious note is there a way of finding out or because it’s a “Trust” is it shrouded in secrecy?

 

[whitenemesis]

That's appalling. Meanwhile, how much are the Directors of this so called "Trust" being paid?

"The remuneration during the year for Richard Parry, Chief Executive, comprised a salary of £184,784 (2017/18: £183,105), pension allowance of £15,928 (2017/18: £15,784), car allowance of £9,768 (2017/18: £9,768), payment in lieu of previous years’ banked holidays not taken £2,135 (2017/18: £Nil) and benefits in kind of £1,540 (2017/18: £1,434), totalling £214,155 (2017/18: £210,091). There was one employee whose remuneration during the year was higher than the chief executive. Stuart Mills, Chief Investment Officer, received a salary of £168,875 (2017/18: £167,133), pension allowance of £14,557 (2017/18: £14,407), car allowance of £9,768 (2017/18: £9,768), performance related pay of £33,575 (2017/18: £26,385) and benefits in kind of £2,217 (2017/18: £2,215), totalling £228,992 (2017/18: £219,908)."

It's all here
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/medi...al-report-and-accounts-2018-2019.pdf?v=f4ac07

 

[John]

"The remuneration during the year for Richard Parry, Chief Executive, comprised a salary of £184,784 (2017/18: £183,105), pension allowance of £15,928 (2017/18: £15,784), car allowance of £9,768 (2017/18: £9,768), payment in lieu of previous years’ banked holidays not taken £2,135 (2017/18: £Nil) and benefits in kind of £1,540 (2017/18: £1,434), totalling £214,155 (2017/18: £210,091). There was one employee whose remuneration during the year was higher than the chief executive. Stuart Mills, Chief Investment Officer, received a salary of £168,875 (2017/18: £167,133), pension allowance of £14,557 (2017/18: £14,407), car allowance of £9,768 (2017/18: £9,768), performance related pay of £33,575 (2017/18: £26,385) and benefits in kind of £2,217 (2017/18: £2,215), totalling £228,992 (2017/18: £219,908)."

It's all here
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/medi...al-report-and-accounts-2018-2019.pdf?v=f4ac07

Fantastic value for money.

 

[219]

"The remuneration during the year for Richard Parry, Chief Executive, comprised a salary of £184,784 (2017/18: £183,105), pension allowance of £15,928 (2017/18: £15,784), car allowance of £9,768 (2017/18: £9,768), payment in lieu of previous years’ banked holidays not taken £2,135 (2017/18: £Nil) and benefits in kind of £1,540 (2017/18: £1,434), totalling £214,155 (2017/18: £210,091). There was one employee whose remuneration during the year was higher than the chief executive. Stuart Mills, Chief Investment Officer, received a salary of £168,875 (2017/18: £167,133), pension allowance of £14,557 (2017/18: £14,407), car allowance of £9,768 (2017/18: £9,768), performance related pay of £33,575 (2017/18: £26,385) and benefits in kind of £2,217 (2017/18: £2,215), totalling £228,992 (2017/18: £219,908)."

It's all here
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/medi...al-report-and-accounts-2018-2019.pdf?v=f4ac07

Pity there isn’t a ‘dislike’ or ‘Grrr’ button .

Maybe we should have thumbs up and down buttons ?

 

[Dippo]

Pity there isn’t a ‘dislike’ or ‘Grrr’ button .

Maybe we should have thumbs up and down buttons ?

I would have thought you'd want a "Public Flogging" or "Lynch Mob" button.