Isle of Man Guide

Built:	1895
Capacity:	19.06 M.G.
Disabled:	Limited
Location:	Hills south of Ramsey
Max Depth:	41ft 5in
Parking:	Ample, close by
Surface Area:	3.5 acres
Type:	Fly fish or spin (no live bait)

History

Originally the public water supply for Ramsey was provided by a private company known as the Ramsey Water Works Company, 1859. The first two reservoirs for Ramsey were built of concrete and captured water from Ballure Stream. Visitors can see these early reservoirs as one is alongside the access road and the other has been turned into a treated water storage reservoir and is roofed over. The Water Works Company found that demand during the summer season was too high and so around 1870 they decided to form a new reservoir, which when completed in 1884 would in the end hold around 18 million gallons.

The dam is an earth embankment dam with a height of 17 metres. A bye wash channel was constructed on the west side of the reservoir. so that poor quality water could be turned away. There is a single draw off pipe 18 inches in diameter is connected beneath the dam which allows the reservoir to be emptied. Normal draw off for the reservoir basin is on the west side.

The Isle of Man Water board was established in 1948 and so ended the life of the Water Works Company.

Location

The Ballure Reservoir is just south of Ramsey. Access is by a private road branching off the main road between Ramsey and Douglas. The turn off can be difficult to spot.