Iain Barr Fly Fishing - Grafham Water
Grafham Water was officially opened in July 1966 and has the capacity of 50 million m3 of water. Set in 1,500 acres of beautiful countryside with some 10 miles (16km) of cycle track around the waterline, most of the reservoir and its shores has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Grafham Water was constructed in the 1960’s to meet the demand from the new town of Milton Keynes and the rapid expansion of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire’s existing towns.
It was originally a joint project between Mid-Northants Water Board, Great Ouse Water Authority and Bedfordshire County Council but transferred to Anglian Water in 1974. Originally called Diddington Reservoir after the little brook whose valley it flooded, it was renamed Grafham Reservoir and subsequently Grafham Water.
The reservoir is on a plateau with nearly all of its water being abstracted from the River Great Ouse at Offord and pumped up to form the 1500 acre (600 hectare) lake.