Olton Reservoir

Olton Mere, or Olton Reservoir, (grid reference SP134815) is a canal feeder reservoir in the Olton district of Solihull, West Midlands, England.

Olton Reservoir Olton Mere
Olton Reservoir Olton Mere
Location	Olton, West Midlands
Coordinates	52.43132°N 1.80434°W
Type	canal reservoir
Primary inflows	Folly Brook
Primary outflows	via culvert to Grand Union Canal
Basin countries	England
Managing agency	Canal and River Trust
Built	1799
Max. length	695 metres (2,280 ft)
Max. width	200 metres (660 ft)
Surface area	126,000 square metres (31 acres)
Average depth	2.5 metres (8.2 ft)
Water volume	320,000m³ (70 million gallons)
Shore length^1	1.70 kilometres (1.06 mi)
^1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

The reservoir, constructed in 1799 to supply the Grand Union Canal, was formed from marshland fed by Folly Brook. It was designed to hold 150 locks full of water, but this was not achieved until it was extended in 1834. It is the largest of the few areas of open water in Solihull and supports a large number of waterfowl. The lake and its surroundings are privately owned by the Canal and River Trust and are leased to Olton Mere Sailing Club.[1]

See also

• Canals of the United Kingdom
• History of the British canal system

References

1. "Olton History". Solihull Council. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012.