Llyn Celyn

Llyn Celyn
Llyn Celyn is located in Gwynedd
Llyn Celyn
Llyn Celyn
LocationWales
Coordinates52°57′0″N 3°41′38″W / 52.95000°N 3.69389°W / 52.95000; -3.69389
TypeReservoir
Basin countriesUnited Kingdom
Max. length2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Max. depth140 ft (43 m)
Tree stumps exposed by low water level of reservoir
Llyn Celyn during the extended hot spell of summer 2018, showing low water levels.

Llyn Celyn (Welsh pronunciation: [ɬɨ̞n ˈkɛlɨ̞n]) is a reservoir constructed between 1960 and 1965 including the highly controversial Tryweryn flooding in the valley of the River Tryweryn in Gwynedd, Wales. This included the forcible removal of the Capel Celyn village residents despite protest and opposition of Welsh MPs.

It measures roughly 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long by 1 mile (1.6 km) wide, and has a maximum depth of 140 ft (43 m). It has the capacity to hold 71,200,000 cubic metres (93,100,000 cu yd) of water.[1]

It was originally to be named Llyn Tryweryn Mawr (meaning "great Tryweryn lake"), but in September 1964 Liverpool Corporation agreed to the name change following a letter from the Tryweryn Defence Committee.[2]

  1. ^ National Library of Wales page, "Celyn lake held a capacity of 71,200 mega litres of water, the biggest dam in Wales" Archived 27 October 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Capel Celyn, Ten Years of Destruction: 1955–1965, by Einion Thomas, published by Cyhoeddiadau Barddas & Gwynedd Council, 2007, ISBN 978-1-900437-92-9