Testwood Lakes

Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve

Testwood Lakes^[1] (grid reference SU348153) is the name used to refer to a group of three lakes near the River Test on the northwest edge of Southampton, Hampshire, England. The lakes were built by Southern Water to provide drinking water for the Southampton area. The three lakes are called: Little Testwood Lake (completed in 1997), Testwood Lake (completed in 2002) and Meadow Lake. There is a visitor centre at the site.

Sea Scouts

The lake was opened for boating activities managed by Eling Sea Scouts late summer 2005, the current boating licence runs between 1 March to 31 October. The lake is available for hire to scout troops and other recognised youth groups. Testwood Lakes will also host the annual Solent Scout Regatta with Canoe and Pulling Races.

The 4th New Forest North (Eling) Sea Scout group has built a new headquarters building alongside Testwood Lakes. The lake is their base for watersport activities.

Local Football team building works

In October 2009 there was early clearing in readiness for the building of the new location of Totton's two football teams Totton & Eling and A.F.C. Totton. During the month of May the first seeding of the new football pitches had begun.

Nature, conservation and recreation

Study centre at Testwood Lakes

Southern Water is working in partnership with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust at the site to manage the nature, conservation and recreational aspects of Testwood Lakes.

Events and activities

The Testwood Lakes Centre is open to the public most week days and weekends in the summer and at various times during the week. Guided walks, events and activities take place throughout the year. The Centre, which has a permanent exhibition featuring themes of water, wildlife and conservation is open to schools, community groups and individuals, with facilities such as a well-equipped classroom for up to 60 children and two function rooms available for hire.

Wildfowl

The Lakes are attracting increasing numbers of wildfowl during the winter, including mallard, Eurasian teal, northern shoveller, tufted duck, common pochard, gadwall and Eurasian wigeon. Eurasian oystercatcher have already bred and it is hoped that northern lapwing and common redshank will too.

Flora

The ground flora of Alder Gully is very rich including lesser spearwort, bluebell, yellow pimpernel, moschatel, red campion and foxglove.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Testwood Lakes.

• TestWood lake Southern Water
• Hampshire and IOW Wildlife Trust Website
• Testwood Lakes on Facebook

Coordinates: 50°56′10″N 1°30′22″W / 50.93610°N 1.50612°W / 50.93610; -1.50612

Hydrology of Hampshire
Main rivers	River Alre River Anton Avon Water River Avon Bartley Water Beaulieu River River Blackwater (River Loddon) River Blackwater (River Test) Bourne Rivulet Candover Brook Cove Brook Dark Water River Dever River Dun River Ems River Hamble River Itchen Kingsley Stream River Loddon Lymington River River Meon Monks Brook Oakhanger Stream Oxney Stream River Rother River Test River Wallington River Wey River Whitewater
Canals and Navigations	Andover Canal Basingstoke Canal Itchen Navigation Portsmouth and Arundel Canal Salisbury and Southampton Canal Titchfield Canal
Ordinary watercourses	Bentworth Stream West End Brook
Lakes, ponds and wetlands	Chessel Bay Eyeworth Pond Farlington Marshes Fleet Pond Keyhaven, Pennington, Oxey and Normandy Marshes Lakeside Country Park Manor Farm duck pond Sowley Pond Testwood Lakes Waggoners Wells
Coast	Chichester Harbour Langstone Harbour Portsmouth Harbour Solent Southampton Water
Categories: Rivers, Canals