The Canal & River Trust charity, which cares for the reservoir and 2,000 miles of waterways, has appointed Arup as the design consultants to lead on the permanent repair of Toddbrook Reservoir, following damage sustained to the dam’s spillway in August 2019.
Arup will devise a solution to upgrade the existing overflow system, increase the drawdown capacity, improve the dam stability and address other recommendations made to improve reservoir safety following the 2019 incident. This will allow flood flows to safely pass over the dam and water to be drained from the reservoir in an emergency.
Arup has extensive experience in delivering dam safety projects, such as Ulley Reservoir Rehabilitation in Rotherham, Yorkshire, and Lower Neuadd Reservoir Discontinuance in Powys, Wales, and will bring together leading experts from across the firm to work on the project.
The emergency temporary works to ensure the safety of the damaged spillway will be completed by Kier in early August. Arup will develop the permanent solution, undertaking detailed design, carrying out any environmental assessments required and providing planning support ahead of construction work in spring/summer 2021.