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Keith Dancey · June 6th 05, 12:45 PM posted to uk.sci.weather

In article , "Roger Smith" writes:

"Keith Dancey" wrote in message
...
In article , "Ian Currie"
writes:

... A dry summer could be very serious for the Southeast.

Agreed. The situation does not look good.

A very big reservoir, fed by the Thames, has been planned in Oxfordshire.
The
water is not primarily for Oxford or Swindon, but for the south-east. The
height
of the containing walls will extend 80 feet above ground level since the
clay
layer is at the surface at the planned site, and not underground.

Keith

Would this not be very similar to several of the huge reservoirs in the
vicinity of Heathrow? Not sure about the 80 feet, but they are contained
within quite high walls and are most certainly not dammed valleys.

Could be, but my passing acquaintance with Heathrow reservoirs didn't look
like 80 feet, but maybe they are... The planned Oxfordshire reservoir is
to be "landscaped" with an earth embankment, and trees, but the gradient
will still be steep.

Regional news reporting, this weekend, that water restrictions will start this
week for some Southern Water customers (north Sussex only). I see that 70%
of Southern's supplies come from aquafers...

Either regional development has to be stopped, or some kind of inter-regional
water grid (with additional reservoirs) has to be set up to meet this kind of situation, since it is unlikely that Southern can source extra supplies soley
from within its boundaries. It always takes a crisis or three before *that*
sort of capital expenditure is given the "go-ahead"...

Cheers,

keith

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