Kielder Water

Kielder Water is the largest man-made lake in the UK and northern Europe, holding 200 billion litres of water and stretching 11 kilometres in length. It is owned and managed by Northumbria Water and was designed by the civil engineer firm Babtie, Shaw and Morton.

Construction for the lake began in 1975 and lasted until 1981. In order to create it, the Kielder Valley had to be flooded, wiping out a railway, a school, and numerous farms and homes. Once complete, it took two years to fill the lake with water and it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1982.

The project was drawn up in response to a rise in demand for water supply to support the booming industrial economy in the region at the time. Today it supplies water to the rivers Tyne, Derwent, Wear and Tees making sure there is enough water supply, even when rainfall is low. The underground springs beneath the lake ensure that the water level always remains high.

Kielder Water is also the site of the largest hydroelectric plant in England, providing a reliable and clean source of energy. This is produced by duel turbines, energy is generated by the Kaplan turbine when water is released, and the Francis turbine constantly generates from the flow of water. The lake can produce up to 1.3 million cubic metres of water a day and an average of 20,000 megawatts of hydroelectric energy a year.

The reservoir is surrounded by England’s largest working forest and the area is the fourth largest place in the world with dark sky status. It has become a popular place for outdoor recreation and leisure.