Rutland Water

Rutland Water
A lake with a rocky foreshore, and a small peninsula with a church built on it
St Matthew's Church, Normanton on the water's edge
Rutland Water is located in Rutland
Rutland Water
Rutland Water
LocationRutland
Coordinates52°40′N 0°40′W / 52.667°N 0.667°W / 52.667; -0.667
Lake typeReservoir
Basin countriesEngland
Managing agencyAnglian Water
DesignationSite of Special Scientific Interest
Built1971–1975 (1971–1975)
First flooded1976
Surface area10.86 square kilometres (4.19 sq mi)
Water volume124 million cubic metres (4.4×10^9 cu ft)
Designated14 October 1991
Reference no.533[1]
Mute swans on Rutland Water at dusk
The Rutland Belle pleasure boat taking visitors across the water
Sailing boats on the reservoir are visible behind Normanton church

Rutland Water is a reservoir in Rutland, England, east of Rutland's county town, Oakham. It is filled by pumping from the River Nene and River Welland, and provides water to the East Midlands. By surface area it is the largest reservoir in England, but its capacity is exceeded by that of Kielder Water in Northumberland. Its maximum depth is 33m (108 ft).

Set in 3,100 acres (13 km2) of countryside, it has a 23-mile (37 km) perimeter track, (17-mile (27 km) excluding Hambleton Peninsula) for walking or cycling.[2] Since the water is drawn upon when needed, the relative areas of land and water vary a little, but the flatter parts of the lake margin are enclosed by banks so that the wetland nature reserve is maintained (grid reference SK886073).

A 1,555 hectare area of lake and shore is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest,[3][4] and a Nature Conservation Review site.[5] An area of 1,333 hectares is an internationally important wetland site under the Ramsar Convention,[6] and 393 hectares at the western end is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.[7]

  1. ^ "Rutland Water". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ Rutland Cycling. Cycle Map Rutland Water (Map).
  3. ^ "Designated Sites View: Rutland Water". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Map of Rutland Water". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  5. ^ "Rutland Water citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Designated Sites View: Rutland Water". Ramsar Site. Natural England. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Rutland Water". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 11 June 2022.