Reservoirs
Valleys on the moors were flooded in the mid-19th century to provide water first for local industry and later to guarantee clean water for the surrounding towns and Liverpool. There are several chains that contribute to the landscape and which provide opportunities for leisure and tourism.
The Anglezarke, Upper Rivington, Lower Rivington and Yarrow reservoirs were built to provide Liverpool with clean water. The 'Rivington Pike Scheme' was undertaken by Thomas Hawksley between 1850 and 1857 to construct five reservoirs. Water from two higher-level reservoirs, Rake Brook and Lower Ruddlesworth, was carried south in 'The Goit', a man-made channel through Heapey and White Coppice connecting them to the reservoirs. The scheme was expanded in 1856 to include High Bullough Reservoir, built in 1850 supplying water to Chorley. The Upper Roddlesworth Reservoir was built in 1867–75. Yarrow Reservoir was begun in 1867 and designed by Thomas Duncan, the Liverpool Borough Engineer.
The Rivington watershed comprises 10,000 acres (40 km²) of land and the average flow rate through the filter beds at Horwich is 8.96 million litres/day (2.24 million gallons/day).
To the east of the area can be found the separate chains of Belmont, Delph, Turton and Entwistle, Wayoh and Jumbles reservoirs.
Situated in the northeast is Haslingden Grane, a glaciated valley with three reservoirs, Calf Hey, Ogden and Holden Wood. There is a car park and information centre at Clough Head.
Read more about this topic: West Pennine Moors