Description
Ladybower Reservoir, like most dams, uses a spillway (or overflow channel) to drain excess water that might otherwise overtop and damage the structure or surrounding area. Two bell-mouth stone spillways, each 24 metres in diameter, keep Ladybower’s water levels in check during heavy rains or flooding, although most of the time the spillways sit dry above the waterline.Ladybower Reservoir is known for something usually hidden from view. The ruins of Derwent – a village flooded when the reservoir was filled in the 1940s – are exposed when water levels recede during dry spells. When this happened in 2018 it drew crowds of curious visitors, and unfortunately the site was damaged. Authorities of the Peak District National Park, the reservoir’s home, advise people to look, but not touch.