Reservoirs and their uses

This section deals with what a reservoir is and the ways in which reservoirs are used, both for industrial/domestic use as well as recreational use. A visit to a reservoir is recommended. Bewl Water in Lamberhurst in Kent is a good site (01892 890 661), Other locations such as Powdermill Reservoir (01273 606 766), Darwell Reservoir (01273 606 776) and Weirwood Reservoir (01892 890 661) are less accessible to the public so therefore Bewl Water is recommended for teachers in South East England.

ACTIVITY ONE : What is a Reservoir?

Discuss with the children what they think a reservoir is. They should have some idea of what a reservoir is if they have already done the work on the Itaipu or Aswan High Dams. Ask the children if they know the names of any reservoirs in the World or close to where they live. Give the children a selection of books (in groups of 4 is best) and get them to find pictures of reservoirs in the World. Get them to make a list of the names of the reservoirs, the river system the reservoir is located on, the country the reservoir is found in and the continent (Worksheet 72).

Once the children have finished this, give them a copy of Worksheet 73 which encourages the children to think about the site they would place a dam to create a reservoir. Explain to the children that when a dam is built across a river, it creates a reservoir as water is built up behind the dam as the water can't get past this wall or dam. A dam is normally built in a valley so that the water in the reservoir is contained within an enclosed area. Flat land is no good as the water would keep on spreading.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 72

Worksheet 73

Books and other information.

Coloured Pencils or Felt Tip Pens.

ACTIVITY TWO : How To Build A Reservoir.

For this activity, the children will need a copy of Worksheet 74 where they will need to sequence the writing to show how a reservoir is built. This information is based upon how Bewl Water was built (near Lamberhurst, Kent) but the principle is similar for building any reservoir.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 74

Scissors.

Glue.

ACTIVITY THREE : Industrial and Domestic Uses Of Water from Rivers and Reservoirs.

Recap on what a reservoir is. Ask the children to make a list in pairs of what they use water for in their homes. Give them about 5 minutes to do this and then hear some suggestions. Explain that water is used for 3 mains uses; domestic (at home); industrial (in factories and power stations) and agricultural (for farmers to water their crops). Explain that the children's suggestions were all domestic, unless of course a child happens to live on a farm. Get the children to group the pictures in  Worksheet 75 according to whether they are industrial, domestic or agricultural uses of water. Stress that this water comes from both rivers and reservoirs.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 75

Scissors.

Glue.

ACTIVITY FOUR : How much water do we use in our homes in one day?

For this activity the children need to work out how much water they use in their homes in one day and fill in the table . This will need to be done at home starting in the morning and when the children go to bed. The children should also include members of their family when completing the sheet. In the interests of a fair test, it would be a good idea to get the children as a class to decide upon a day when they will do this work. The teacher can discuss the concept of a fair test here too.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 76

Calculators (if necessary).

ACTIVITY FIVE : Recreational Use Of Rivers and Reservoirs.

Ask the children how they think people can use a river or a reservoir. They should already have some idea of the domestic and industrial ways in which a river and a reservoir can be used. Some children might remember from the work don on the Aswan High Dam or the Itaipu Dam that reservoirs can be used for watersports etc. Explain that people also use rivers and reservoirs for recreation and leisure activities. Explain what these terms mean. For this activity, get the children to look at the photos (from Bewl Water) and make a list of all the ways in which a river and reservoir can be used by the public for recreation. Alternatively give the children some leaflets about a reservoir and get them to make a list of all the activities people can do at the reservoir from the leaflet.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 77

Scissors.

Glue.

ACTIVITY SIX : Visit to a Reservoir : Bewl Water in Kent.

Although this activity is designed for Bewl Water Reservoir in Kent, it will work equally well with any other reservoir in any other part of the UK It is a good idea to telephone the reservoir and inquire as to whether they cater for school visits and if they have produced any worksheets for school visits, as these worksheets might be of some use to the teacher when planning the educational visit (teachers can either use their own worksheets or if suitable, the ones produced by the reservoir). If a boat trip around the reservoir is available, it is a good idea to take the children on it, as it gives the children an idea of the huge size that reservoirs often are. Many reservoirs offer a talk about the reservoir (uses and operational aspects) followed by a walk by the spillway and under the dam. This is offered at Bewl Water as well as a visit into the draw-off tower (accessed via a lift). While the children are at the reservoir, if there is a visitor's centre with leaflets about the reservoir available, it is a good idea for the children to take a leaflet (alternatively the teacher could take several of the same leaflets) as these can be used for extra information if the children design a leaflet about the reservoir they have visited. It is also a good idea for the teacher to do a pre-visit to the reservoir site so that he/she can familiarise his/herself with the geographical layout of the facilities as well as designing appropriate work for the children for the visit. Telephone numbers of reservoirs in Southeast England are given at the top of this section. Worksheet 78 provides a teacher designed worksheet for an educational visit to Bewl Water, Lamberhurst in Kent.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Educational Worksheets for children about the reservoir from the reservoir site (if available).

Worksheet 78

Clipboards.

ACTIVITY SEVEN : Leaflet about Bewl Water or any reservoir visited.

This activity involves designing a leaflet about the reservoir that the children have visited. For this activity the children will need to use the worksheets they completed from their visit and leaflets about the reservoir. The children should include the following aspects in their leaflet:

1) General Information about the Reservoir - location (map), when it was built, how long it took to built, height and length of the dam, plan of the reservoir.

2) Information about what watersports people can do at the reservoir including a picture.

3) Information about what other recreational things people can do at the reservoir including a picture.

4) Information about what other facilities are available at the reservoir like a Visitor's Centre.

5) Opening Times of the Reservoir, cost to get in, and any other extra information such as special events being held at the reservoir.

Also get the children to decide how they are going to fold their leaflet (an A4 piece of paper folded in half using portrait orientation, or an A4 piece of paper folded into three equal sections using portrait orientation is best). The children also need to design a front cover as well.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 79

Leaflets about the reservoir.

Completed worksheets from the visit.

WorksheetsTeacher Planning Key Questions Page