| 17/11/2005
- The Environment Agency has created a series of web pages
devoted entirely to Cumbria’s lakes. The
pages can be found by visiting www.environment-agency.gov.uk/nwenvironment
and clicking on "Water" and then "Quality
of our Lakes". You can learn
how the Lake District was formed in
the ice age
how the Lakes provide vital water
supplies to homes and businesses
what the Environment Agency is doing
to monitor water quality in the Lakes and reduce pollution
how climate change could affect the
Lakes in the future
Environment Agency officer Jane McNamara,
who put together the information for the web pages, said:
"The Lake District is one of the North West’s most
valuable natural assets. The Lakes form a unique habitat
for plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere
else in the country.
"The Lakes are also an important
part of the region’s economy, attracting 12 million visitors
to Cumbria every year – but they’re also under significant
environmental pressures which can have an impact on water
quality and wildlife. By devoting a set of pages on our
website specifically to the Lakes, we hope that people
will find out more about this stunning feature of our
region and take an interest in its future."
Graphics, pictures, maps and at-a-glance
facts make the pages easy to use - although in-depth information
and statistics are just a click away for those who are
looking for more detail.
Headline facts revealed on the pages
include:
Wastwater is the deepest of the Lakes
– 76 metres at its deepest point. That’s deep enough to
submerge Nelson’s Column, with 20 metres to spare!
Thirlmere and Haweswater alone provide one-third of the
drinking water for the entire North West region.
Bassenthwaite and Derwent Water are
home to the vendace, Britain’s rarest freshwater fish.
Vendace cannot be found anywhere else in England.
Buttermere and Crummock Water used
to be one big lake – until they became separated by material
deposited naturally during the last ice age. |
