Eccup Reservoir

Also within

West Yorkshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Millstone Grit

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Area, 114.5 hectares 282.9 ac Description Eccup Reservoir is located 5 miles north of Leeds City Centre at an altitude of 122 metres AOD and lies midway between the Aire and Wharfe river systems. The underlying geology of the reservoir is East Carlton Grit of the Millstone Grit series. Eccup Reservoir was originally constructed in 1830 and enlarged to its present size in 1897. It is the largest single stretch of water in West Yorkshire. Water for the reservoir is supplied from the River Ouse and several upland reservoirs. The vegetation in the reservoir is largely confined to the western end. The submerged vegetation comprises shore weed and amphibious bistort. The fringing vegetation includes stands of bulrush and common spike rush with scattered beds of bottle sedge Carex rostrata and bladder sedge Carex vesicaria. Bladder sedge is only recorded from two other locations in West Yorkshire and is therefore locally scarce in the county. Eccup Reservoir has long been a site of major attraction for wildfowl and other water birds and the earliest documented records date from the 1920's. The reservoir supports regular populations of wintering wildfowl including wigeon, teal, pochard and goldeneye. Large numbers of mallard and tufted duck are present throughout the year and mallard breed at Eccup. The most significant population of wintering wildfowl is the goosander. On average Eccupholds between 12 percent of the estimated total wintering population of goosander in the British Isles. The Eccup population is therefore of national importance and is currently the fourth largest population in the British Isles. Many other species of birds are recorded as regular visitors and passage migrants. These include wildfowl such as shelduck, shoveler, ruddy duck and greylag goose and wading birds such as dunlin and green sandpiper. curlew, redshank and common sandpiper are seen on the reservoir and breed locally. Eccup Reservoir is on the trans Pennine bird migration route and its size and location make it avery attractive site for wintering birds and passage migrants. Its recognised national significance for goosander makes it the most important open water area for wildfowl in West Yorkshire.

Species mentioned

Plant communities