The Derwent Valley Water Board was constituted by the Derwent Valley Water Act 1899 (62 & 63 Vict. c. cclxix) to supply the cities of Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield, and the county of Derbyshire, with water impounded by a series of reservoirs along the upper reaches of the River Derwent in the Peak District of Derbyshire.
The board's works included the following reservoirs:
- Howden, built 1901-1912, capacity 1,980 million imperial gallons (9,000,000 m3), formed by a masonry dam 117 feet (36 m) high and 1,080 feet (330 m) long.
- Derwent, built 1902-1916, capacity 2,120 million imperial gallons (9,600,000 m3), formed by a masonry dam 114 feet (35 m) high and 1,110 feet (340 m) long.
- Ladybower, built 1935-1945, capacity 6,310 million imperial gallons (28,700,000 m3), formed by an earth embankment 140 feet (43 m) high and 1,250 feet (380 m) long.
The board was abolished in 1974 under the terms of the Water Act 1973 (c. 37) and responsibility for the works was transferred to the new Severn Trent Water Authority.
References
- The Derwent Valley Water Board's Undertaking (1972)
- Water Act 1973 (1973 c.37)
- https://archive.org/stream/engineeringwonde03willuoft/engineeringwonde03willuoft_djvu.txt
- http://apps.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/onlinelists/GB0288%20DL76.pdf