Blackbrook Reservoir

Also within

Leicestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Precambrian, Triassic

Landscape processes: Glacial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Fish

Description

Area,38.6 ha Description Blackbrook Reservoir lying on the northern fringe of Charnwood Forest, supports a most unusual marginal plant community unique to the English Midlands and reminiscent of that found in a few sites in northern England. The water is mesotrophic, derived from the admix of acid base poor Precambrian rocks of the Blackbrook series and the more fertile base rich Triassic and glacial deposits. Mesotrophic water bodies are unusual in England. The community of marginal and aquatic plants at Blackbrook reflects this trophic status. Influenced by its disjunct geographical position this community generally contains the scarce elements of its northern counterparts but some of the more common northern or acid species are absent. The uncommon thread rush Juncus filiformis grows in great abundance at Blackbrook where it is at its most southern locality. The unusual mix of species also includes small water pepper Persicaria minor, lesser marshwort Apium inundatum, floating club rush Eleogiton fluitans, shore weed Littorella uniflora and the pond water crowfoot Ranunculus peltatus. Species which reflect a more southerly or base rich influence are trifid bur marigold Bidens tripartita and lesser pond sedge Carex acutiformis. The reservoir is stocked with brown trout but also supports crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes. It is isolated from populations of the alien American crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus, the carrier of a fungal spore which has devastated populations of the native crayfish. The reservoir has locally important flocks of wintering wildfowl and supports breeding great crested grebe and little grebe.

Species mentioned