Whaley Bridge Dam


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The dam problems at Whaley Bridge prompted me to dig out this old photo of the same dam that I took back in the long, hot summer of 1976. No chance of flooding then! Curiously, there is a patch almost in the same place as the damage now threatening the structure but on the inside of the wall. a patch, perhaps? Whaley Bridge is off to the right of the picture.

 

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I'd be tempted to let the local authorities see that Compo, if it's significant it may be  they are patching the wrong side of the dam.

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Whaley Bridge is a town I know quite well as I often visit Martin Daly's School Garage on Buxton Rd. to view his classic cars. He's obviously closed at the moment! I've just looked at the area on Google Earth and notice that the concrete spillway of the dam appears to be a recent structure and was only about half completed in 2018. Before that it was just the earth bank covered with grass. There's been no information about this but it looks like the earth structure has been able to withstand the water pressure without reinforcement for most of its life. Perhaps water seeping under the concrete has caused the problem. 

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I assumed the concrete was historic but not original and water had got under it, initially through cracks then lifted it up and scoured the soil away.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Whaley+Bridge,+High+Peak/@53.3270113,-1.9891088,242m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x487a35b9af05d563:0x4a4b4e120fd421b6!8m2!3d53.3298746!4d-1.9841743

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3277771,-1.9895447,3a,30y,167.97h,85.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqF0gM-r-98WEhhqUbCZGbQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

Looking at the video of the massive amounts of water running over it I wonder if it was just shear weight of water that dislodged the concrete being as it was just a skin.

I'd imagine they'll be bolting and grouting it in as they do on embankments once things settle down.

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Interesting that the North West news today reported that there was also concern for 'nearby Marple'.  This had me wondering at first, but although not what I'd exactly call 'nearby',, Marple is also on the River Goyt. about 5 miles downstream.  Presumably any major flood would run down the Goyt Valley, through New Mills and into Marple.  I've only driven through Marple once and I recall it as being in a steep sided valley.

 

Map here: https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3689979,-2.0076558,12.75z

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I knew I remembered something about a Dam collapsing in the 19th C.  It was Dale Dyke.. above Sheffield, which collapsed in 1864.  There were 244 fatalities in what became known as The Great Sheffield Flood

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Dike_Reservoir

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There was just on T.V,  (half an hour ago ish,) a picture of Whaley Bridge res empty about 8 years ago when they carried out repairs and re-enforced the inner side of the spillway.

 

Oh, I hear thunder in the background outside, looks like rain coming.

 

Found an article from 2011, doesn't mention re-enforcing;

http://www.whaleybridge.com/2011/01/toddbrook-reservoir-refilling-to-start-in-new-year/

 

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Beckham was going to visit and dole out a few reassuring utterances, but he's  ended up at Walesby !

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