Carsington Water

Carsington Water
A sailing regatta at Carsington Water.
Carsington Water Location in Derbyshire
Location	Derbyshire
Coordinates	53°3′30″N 1°37′50″W / 53.05833°N 1.63056°W / 53.05833; -1.63056
Lake type	reservoir
Primary inflows	tunnel/aqueduct from River Derwent
Primary outflows	River Derwent
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Managing agency	Severn Trent Water
Built	1989 (1989)
First flooded	1992
Max. depth	33 m (108 ft)
Water volume	35,412 ML (28,709 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation	200 m (660 ft)
Islands	2 islands, one opposite the Sailing Club, and the sailing centre.

Carsington Water is a reservoir, operated by Severn Trent Water, between Wirksworth and Kniveton in Derbyshire, England. The reservoir takes water from the River Derwent at Ambergate during winter months, pumping up to the reservoir by 10.5-kilometre (6.5 mi) long tunnels and aqueduct. Water is released back into the river during summer months for water abstraction and treatment further downstream. It is England's ninth-largest reservoir with a capacity of 36,331 megalitres.[1]

Planning for the reservoir started in the 1960s and construction started in 1979. In 1984, there was a partial collapse of the dam before it was filled. The dam was removed before the construction of a new dam began in 1989. The finished reservoir was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1992.^[1]

The reservoir is a major centre for leisure activities including walking, cycling, fly fishing, birdwatching, sailing, canoeing, and windsurfing. The land surrounding the reservoir, in particular the facilities around the visitor centre, has hosted events including a music festival, the Festival of the Peak.