Wildlife lovers are up in arms after a Denbighshire reservoir was drained during the spring breeding season. Local guardians claim entire wildlife populations have been “wiped out” at Nant-y-Ffrith Reservoir on the Llandegla moors.
Water company Hafren Dyfrdwy is renewing infrastructure at the 12-acre lake after engineers identified an “unacceptable” risk of failures. Critics have questioned why the work was being undertaken at the height of the annual breeding system.
“This wasn’t just water being drained – this was the removal of an entire ecosystem,” said Teri Davies, a co-ordinator at Wrexham Toad Patrols. Teri said the reservoir couldn’t have been drained at a worse time: “Surely another 3-4 weeks of waiting wouldn’t have killed them?” she said. “But it has killed a whole generation of amphibians,” she alleged.
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A Hafren Dyfrdwy spokesperson said the work was “essential to ensure this critical operational reservoir remains safe” and that they would reach out to locals who had raised concerns.
Amongst the concenrs raised is that, like toads, local waterfowl have lost breeding sites and won’t return next year. Local people have described their “heartbreak” at seeing birds coming in to land – then realising they can’t.
‘Shameful’
When images of the mostly empty reservoir were posted online, wildlife enthusiasts queued up to condemn the timing. Collectively, the work was labelled “shameful” and “abhorrent”.
Already this year, more than 1,500 migrating toads have been helped across dangerous local roads to reach breeding grounds. This mammoth exercise was undertaken by Wrexham Toad Patrols (WTP), a volunteer group coordinated by Teri, Becky Phoenix and Ella Thistle in the hope of stemming population declines.
Wildlife casualties have been found by local volunteers(Image: Wrexham Toad Patrols)
After visiting the emptied reservoir, Becky said she was “absolutely devastated” by what she found. Working with local authorities in Wrexham and Denbighshire, and Llandegla Community Council, WTP had overseen a four-fold increase in toad rescues this year.
Writing online, she said: “For the past eight weeks toads have been migrating towards the reservoir to breed.”
She accused Hafren Dyfrdwy of “sheer incompetence” for the timing of the work.
Critics have raised the issue with Clwyd East MP Becky Gittins and have reported their concerns to Natural Resources Wales. Hafren Dyfrdwy said it recognises the site’s importance for wildlife and is keeping NRW appraised of impacts.
The company, formerly, Dee Valley Water is part of the Severn Trent group. Under the Reservoirs Act it is obliged to ensure the safety of its eight active reservoirs and three redundant reservoirs – the highest number per head of population for any UK water company.
Water being pumped from the reservoir(Image: Wrexham Toad Patrols)
Nant-y-Ffrith was built by Brymbo Water Company and began supplying water to villages to the west of Wrexham in 1871. Breeding birds on the reservoir include Great Crested Grebe and Coot, with Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting nearby. Lapwing and Curlew are in surrounding fields and dozens more species visit the site.
Teri said the reservoir is also an important home for frogs, newts, insects and countless species, all of which will have also been impacted. “Places like Nant-y-Ffrith Reservoir are not expendable,” she said. “They are lifelines.
“The ripple effect will move through the food chain, leaving predators without prey and destabilising the delicate balance of local wildlife.”
Numbers of toads helped across road by volunteers like Megan McInnes have risen four-fold this year(Image: Megan McInnes/Wrexham Toad Patrols)
In a £7.4m project, “safety-critical interventions” are being carried out to the reservoir’s spillway, leakage pathways and drawdown infrastructure. New draw-off siphons are being installed alongside a widened spillway channel, to be completed by July.
Hafren Dyfrdwy said it will be “reaching out” to local groups who have raised concerns. A spokesperson said: “We understand how concerning this situation is for the local community and we’re very sorry to hear about what’s been reported.
“The work at Nant-y-Ffrith is essential to ensure this critical operational reservoir remains safe now and for the future, and continues to meet strict safety requirements. We’re currently reviewing what has occurred alongside our ecologists on site today.
“Whilst we’re in the process of fully understanding the situation, we’re committed to working closely together with the community to identify ways to put things right for the future – while continuing this important work to protect the safety of the reservoir for the wider community.”
Nant-y-Ffrith Reservoir is being drained so that its slipway can be improved(Image: Wrexham Toad Patrols)
Some water remains in the reservoir, which in places is two metres deep when full. Its draining has raised concerns over the impact on water levels in the surrounding land.
Wrtiing online, Sam Kenyon, Curlew and People Officer for the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, said the timing was “unacceptable”.
Mr Kenyon added: “The damage to breeding habitat is severe. Hundreds of species rely on this reservoir in spring, and many now have no viable nesting/breeding spots left. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now
“Some have been destroyed outright; others have lost the narrow window they need to breed successfully. For a company responsible for protecting the environment and improving such areas, this is indefensible.”