History
Originally a small pool named Roach Pool in Rotton Park it was extensively enlarged by Thomas Telford between 1824-1829 to supply water to the Birmingham and Wolverhampton Levels of the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) canal system via Icknield Port Loop. It was excavated to a depth of 40 feet (12 m) and covers an area of 80 acres (320,000 m2), holding 300,000,000 imperial gallons (1,400,000 m3) of water, and was the largest expanse of water in Birmingham at the time. It is supplied by small streams and a feeder from Titford Reservoir (Titford Pools) in Oldbury. It was formed by damming a small stream. The dam is a 330 metre long earth embankment with a height of 10 metres near the centre.
The reservoir and gatehouse were designed by Thomas Telford and the latter is a listed building in corporate BCN octagonal style. In 1873, it was crossed by Charles Blondin, on a tightrope. His feat is marked by a 1992 statue on the nearby Ladywood Middleway ring road.
Read more about this topic: Edgbaston Reservoir
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