Roundhay Park Open-Air Pool

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 24 May, 2007 10:53 am

Drapsey'e photo is of the new overflow built a while ago, around 20 years or so, when the dam at the end of the lake was strengthened and the outflow to Wyke Beck improved to defend and deal with a flood - after which it leaked!The old channel was, as I remember, just that, a simple concave concrete channel laid into the surface of the ground leading to the beck - and I never saw water in it either.Thinking back to why the dam was strengthened, makes me wonder if the people living accross Wetherby Road there, have ever considered how much water there is above them....

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Thu 24 May, 2007 4:24 pm

Well, the people living there probably don't but somebody does. Waterloo Lake is so large that it counts as a dam. That means that a dam breach impact assessment has to be carried out.That means that somebody will have worked out (or is in the process of working out) just exactly what would happen if that earth and stone wall ever gave way...........The water would of course head straight for the River Aire, taking with it any houses in its path. Most of the Elmetes and Asketts would go straight away. It wouldn't hit any real obstacles until it came to the Leeds/York railway embankment where it crosses Selby Road at Halton/Killingbeck. I guess that some water would go through the road bridge, probably destroying it, some would go over the railway lines but most would probably form a lake on the north side of the embankment.This would lie there draining away over the next few hours through the pedestrian subway and drainage culverts.Unless it just swept the whole embankment way and kept on rushing down to the river. Sweeping away Verity View and Dunhill Rise it would go down Halton Moor Avenue and Cartmel Drive. Then there is a pretty much unrestricted run down to the river. The eastern end of Cross Green Industrial Estate would most likely go, and then Knostrop sewage works. But then they're used to dealing with water there.

munki · Post by **munki** » Thu 24 May, 2007 4:27 pm

Blimey RikJ, you're in a cheerfully apocalyptic mood today. It is nearly the weekend, you know!

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Thu 24 May, 2007 4:49 pm

My pleasure, I enjoyed working it out!

Loinerpete · Post by **Loinerpete** » Thu 24 May, 2007 6:21 pm

Do you know what?? theres a side of me that would love to see that!!!!!....i have many sides though, most of them are right thinking.

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Thu 24 May, 2007 7:37 pm

Now now pete, put that shovel down........

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 24 May, 2007 8:15 pm

You're right rik, and it would be a sight to see though a disaster too. The works I mentioned were undertaken for just that reason - to handle the once in 1000 (I think) year flood - after an assessment under some EU ruling.Wetherby road was closed outside the park for quite some time with a large area excavated to construct a new culvert under the road, presumably to divert the water more directly to the small beck and away from the housing directly in line, though it's difficult to believe it would work fully.The fields accross the Fearnvilles and along Wykebeck valley road are already designated as flood planes, as indeed the residents at the bottom of South Parkway and Oakwood lane discovered the other year - and that was just from very heavy rain and a partial blockage in the storm sewer, never mind the contents of Waterloo!

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Tue 05 Jun, 2007 2:37 am

Riki, the end of the lake does resemble a damn nowadays, but I clearly remember the "cliff" overlooking the swimming pool as a kid. Not much of a damn structure then. Just a nice waterfall cascading down below. Maybe I'm forgetting summat, just don't recall there being a big damn slope as is nowadays! My point? How did they keep all that water in with just a farting little cliff wall?

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Thu 14 Jun, 2007 9:14 pm

simonm wrote: Riki, the end of the lake does resemble a damn nowadays, but I clearly remember the "cliff" overlooking the swimming pool as a kid. Not much of a damn structure then. Just a nice waterfall cascading down below. Maybe I'm forgetting summat, just don't recall there being a big damn slope as is nowadays! My point? How did they keep all that water in with just a farting little cliff wall?

You're right, it was a near vertical face to the old "dam" wall with a delightful waterfall - not at all like todays version. There was also a wooden bridge across the overflow at the top of the waterfall where you could behave in a foolhardy manner only known to invincible 12 year olds.I went to the nearby Braim Wood School (criminally abandoned by the authorities nowadays) and spent many a long lunchtime around that end of the park.The way they were able to keep all water in with that "farting little cliff wall" is that they built things properly in the past...

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Sun 24 Jun, 2007 7:49 pm

What gets me is this little puzzle. How come far more water pours over the dam than can be coming in from the other end? Thats how it always looks to me anyhow