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History

Located on the outskirts of Glasgow, the Milngavie Reservoirs represent an outstanding example of Victorian municipal engineering and, as with many feats of engineering from this time, the adventurism, innovation, and quality of workmanship, are outstanding. The legacy of industrial architecture in masonry and iron-work is exceptional, and the civic pride demonstrated by the treatment of the landscape is equally impressive. The engineering design and construction skills employed to supply Glasgow with clean water from Loch Katrine are awe-inspiring.

The eminent engineer John Frederic Bateman selected Loch Katrine as an appropriate source of water for Glasgow, and led a team of engineers who translated the scheme into reality by raising the water height at Loch Katrine and constructing a 26 mile long aqueduct terminating at the Mugdock (storage) Reservoir, completed in 1859 and opened by Queen Victoria. Later that century, chief engineer James Gale deemed that the storage capacity of Loch Katrine should be increased and that a second line of aqueducts and another storage reservoir should be constructed at Craigmaddie above Milngavie.

(From Milngavie Reservoirs Conservation and Recreation Plan. Land Use Consultants produced this plan for Scottish Water, in consultation with the local community. The full plan may be downloaded hereĀ»).

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