Severn Trent Water has drawn up £300m plans to double the capacity of Ladybower, Derwent and Howden reservoirs and two schemes have been put forward – creating a fourth reservoir on the moors above Howden or higher dams downstream of existing structures, which would be submerged as the waters rose.
The existing dams were built between 1901 and 1945, drowning the villages of Ashopton and Derwent.
We have delved into our archives to look back at the forgotten villages which show what the villages people called home looked like before the water came.
1. Last bus
Picture shows the last bus to Ashopton Village before the village was flooded to make way for the Ladybower Reservoir in the early 1940's Photo: Nancy Fielder
4. Crook Hill
Ashopton from Crook Hill - site of the new viaduct 1939 Photo: Julia Armstrong