The Alwen Reservoir or Cronfa Alwen is a 5km long reservoir near Pentre-Llyn-Cymmer in the county borough of Conwy, North Wales, held back by the 27 metre high Alwen Dam. It impounds the Afon Alwen, and the dam is 8km downstream from Llyn Alwen. It was built between 1909 and 1921, originally to supply water to the town of Birkenhead, near Liverpool. Today it is part of the River Dee regulation system and is operated by Welsh Water.
The dam is a g...
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The Alwen Reservoir or Cronfa Alwen is a 5km long reservoir near Pentre-Llyn-Cymmer in the county borough of Conwy, North Wales, held back by the 27 metre high Alwen Dam. It impounds the Afon Alwen, and the dam is 8km downstream from Llyn Alwen. It was built between 1909 and 1921, originally to supply water to the town of Birkenhead, near Liverpool. Today it is part of the River Dee regulation system and is operated by Welsh Water.
The dam is a gravity-arch masonry dam. The "first stone" of the dam records that the engineers were Sir Alex. Binnie, Son and [George] Deacon and the contractors were Robert McAlpine and Sons. A large water treatment facility was built below the dam, and a cast iron underground aqueduct laid to Birkenhead. The original water treatment buildings are still standing, but the equipment inside has long gone, replaced by modern plant in a new building.
The operators, Welsh Water have a scheme to teach children about the importance of water, linked to the National...
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