The upgrade works at Harthill Reservoir are complete, and the reservoir has been refilling since late 2024, a process expected to finish by spring 2025. The main construction work was finished by the end of 2024, with the public footpath across the dam reopening on November 1, 2024.

Project Details

Purpose: The upgrade, led by the Canal & River Trust, was necessary to bring the 200-year-old reservoir up to modern safety standards, specifically by redesigning the overflow spillway to increase flood resilience and protect local communities in the event of extreme weather, considering the impacts of climate change.

Scope: The main work involved building a new, modern labyrinth weir and spillway at the western end of the dam, decommissioning the two older spillways, and installing new pipework and access footbridges.

Timeline: The project began in late 2022 and was substantially completed by the end of 2024, although the original completion date of late 2023 was delayed by a protracted land purchase process and record wet weather in the winter of 2023/24.

Cost: The projected final cost of the project has more than doubled from the initial £5 million estimate to around £12 million, due to rising material costs, inflation, and weather-related delays.

Restocking: The reservoir is being gradually refilled and restocked with fish (carp, bream, and tench) over the coming months.

Future Plans: While a plan for 15 new fishing platforms around the reservoir has planning permission, it was not possible to include this within the existing project budget. The Canal & River Trust is now seeking alternative funding sources for this separate project.

The reservoir remains a valuable public amenity and is expected to resume its full function of supplying water to the Chesterfield Canal once refilling is complete.

Rother Valley Country Park is a 750-acre country park in South Yorkshire, featuring four lakes and a wide range of water and land-based activities.

Activities

Watersports

The park's water sports centre offers a variety of activities for different age groups.

Sheffield Cable Waterski & Aqua Park: This facility includes a cable wake park for kneeboarding, water-skiing, and wakeboarding, as well as a large inflatable aqua park obstacle course.

Other watersports: The park also offers sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. For those with their own craft, a launch day pass is available, though you must bring your own buoyancy aids and wetsuits.

Boat hire: Families can hire pedal boats, while single scull rowing boats are also available.

Land-based activities

Walking and cycling: The park has numerous trails for walking and cycling, including flat lakeside paths and more challenging mountain bike routes.

Cycle hire: Bikes are available for hire, including standard cycles, accessible bikes, and family cycles.

Miniature railway: A miniature railway operates on the east side of the main lake.