40 An Anglers Paradise. 



span. Under these arches flows the surplus water when the dam 

 is full, and at such times it makes a miniature Niagara, and adds 

 a charm to the valley. The bottom of the outer face of the dam 

 is built in a curve, so that the water strikes it at an angle, and 

 does no harm. 



One of the most important features of the dam, from an 

 angler's point of view, is the means adopted by which daily 

 compensation water is provided for the benefit of the river below. 

 This water is discharged by a pipe eighteen inches in diameter, 

 and there is another pipe thirty inches in diameter for discharging 

 monthly compensation water. This is the water which the Liver- 

 pool Corporation has to turn into the river Verniew, for the 

 satisfaction of riparian owners and the Severn Navigation Board, 

 as compensation for impounding the head waters of the river. 

 More than this : the Corporation also has to deliver to the 

 satisfaction of the Severn Fishery Board, twelve hundred million 

 gallons of water annually, whenever it may be desired, in the form 

 of freshets, each freshet to consist of forty million gallons. 



This is a condition that is imposed by Act of Parliament, and 

 must be a great boon to the inhabitants of the valley. Before 

 this reservoir was constructed, floods used to sweep down the vale, 

 carrying away crops, mill weirs, etc., and doing sometimes 

 immense damage to the land and property owners and their 

 tenants, whereas now a very large proportion of this flood-water 

 is retained, and allowed to flow off gradually. The great 

 advantage of this is apparent, as well as compensation water 

 during dry weather. There is one very important point which has 

 been overlooked in making the arrangements for the supply of 

 this compensation water. It is drawn from far too low a level. 

 Had a competent fish culturist been consulted, such an arrange- 

 ment would never for a moment have been considered. The 

 water drawn from such a point is known to be so far unsuitable, 

 that such an oversight would have been guarded against, and 

 proper measures taken for drawing it from the right point. 



Many of our streams could be dealt with in this way with 

 very great advantage. A reservoir, or a series of them, in many 

 situations, would be a good investment if stocked with trout, whilst 

 the compensation water, in times of drought, would be an untold 



