Sheffield drought: New alert over water levels amid 'wildlife emergency' at top tourist attraction Forge Dam
Water levels at a 250-year-old mill pond with a leak have fallen to a new low, photos show.
An island has developed at Forge Dam creating two bodies of water - which is 4ft below its usual level. Elsewhere, huge beaches of mud have emerged as the water recedes.
Last month, Sheffield City Council said the pond was a “priority” after visitors raised fears of a wildlife emergency due to stagnant, oxygen depleted pools.
The 250-year-old reservoir has a leak in the dam wall and suffers from silting, despite a £500,000 restoration project.
It is fed by the Porter Brook but a record dry spring has created drought conditions.
In February, Friends of Porter the Valley warned of a ‘summer of disappointment’ because repairs to the leak would not start until at least September due to legal issues and wildlife restrictions.
The leak was discovered towards the end of a £500,000 de-silting and dam wall repair project in 2023, which the Friends spent 10 years raising money for.
The site has a popular cafe and is packed with visitors at weekends.