Leighton Reservoir

{{Short description|Reservoir in North Yorkshire, England}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Leighton Reservoir

| image = Leighton Reservoir.jpg

| alt = Image of an upland lake

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| pushpin_map = North Yorkshire

| pushpin_map_alt = Relief map of North Yorkshire

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| location = North Yorkshire

| coords = {{coord|54|12|11|N|1|45|24|W|region:GB_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}

| type = Reservoir

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| basin_countries = United Kingdom

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| volume = {{convert|5,000,000|litres|3}}{{cite news |title=Leighton reservoir works to take nine months |url=http://www.ripongazette.co.uk/news/environment/leighton-reservoir-works-to-take-nine-months-1-5502325 |accessdate=24 December 2016 |work=Ripon Gazette |date=17 March 2013}}

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Leighton Reservoir is a reservoir which drains via the River Burn to the River Ure in North Yorkshire, England. It neighbours Roundhill Reservoir and is about {{convert|4|mi|km}} west of Masham. It takes its name from the nearby village of Leighton.

Work on the reservoir was started by the Leeds Corporation in 1908, and although the major parts of the building process were over by March 1926, the final cementation was not completed until 1941. The reservoir was allowed to fill with water over the winter of 1926–1927.{{cite book |last1=Bowtell |first1=Harold D. |title=Lesser railways of the Yorkshire Dales : and the dam builders in the Age of Steam |date=1991 |publisher=Plateway Press |location=Brighton |isbn=1-871980-09-7 |page=37}} A newspaper report from 1910, estimated that the final cost of the construction would be £437,000 ({{Inflation|UK|437,000|1910|fmt=eq|cursign=£|r=-3}}).{{cite news |title=Leeds Water Supply |work=The Times |issue=39407 |date=19 October 1910 |page=13|issn=0140-0460}} Although the Leeds Corporation intended to build another reservoir in Colsterdale on the River Burn, this never came to pass, and Leighton Reservoir was constructed on two tributaries of the Burn; Pott Beck and Spruce Gell.{{cite news |title=New Waterworks For Leeds |work=The Times |issue=38701 |date=17 July 1908 |page=2|issn=0140-0460}}

Water from the reservoir is used to compensate for abstraction from the River Ure.{{cite web | url=http://www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk/nidderdale-138 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718221851/http://www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk/nidderdale-138 | website= Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty |title=Reservoirs | archive-date=18 July 2011 | publisher=Harrogate Borough Council}} Although not in Nidderdale, the reservoir is within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Leighton is accessible for fishing and has a car park. The reservoir is on land owned by the Swinton Estate and they stock the waters with fish.{{cite web |title=Rivers and Reservoirs on the Swinton Estate |url=http://www.theswintonestate.com/the-rivers-and-reservoirs/ |website=www.theswintonestate.com |accessdate=24 December 2016}}

Like its near neighbours in Upper Nidderdale, the construction of Leighton reservoir (and Roundhill) necessitated the building of an industrial railway to bring in materials for construction. A {{track gauge|2 ft}} {{convert|6|mi|adj=on}} railway was built from the north end of Masham railway station where a transhipment yard was located to transfer freight between the narrow and standard gauge lines. The line opened in 1905 and was closed by 1930.{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Masham Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/m/masham/ |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=24 December 2016}}

The reservoir has a mean depth of {{convert|11.1|m|order=flip}}, a surface area of {{convert|37|hectare|order=flip}}, a catchment area of {{convert|2,260|hectare|order=flip}}, and it lies at an elevation of {{convert|188|m|order=flip}} above sea level.{{cite web |title=Leighton Reservoir Water Body ID 29612 |url=https://eip.ceh.ac.uk/apps/lakes/detail.html#wbid=29612 |website=eip.ceh.ac.uk |access-date=22 October 2022 |archive-date=11 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611204850/https://eip.ceh.ac.uk/apps/lakes/detail.html#wbid=29612 |url-status=dead }}