Action Plan: Ponds, Lakes & Reservoirs

Standing waters in Northumberland vary in size from ponds a metre or two across to the 1112ha Kielder Water, and often occur in association with other important wetland habitats such as marshy grassland, fen, reedbed and wet woodland. These habitats are important for several key species of mammals, birds, invertebrates and plants.

The black-necked grebe is a rare species with a nationally important population in Northumberland, occurring on shallow lakes with a good growth of aquatic vegetation. The little grebe is an uncommon breeding species in the county; found mainly on small waterbodies in south east Northumberland. The nationally rare snail, Lymnaea glabra, has been recorded from Crag Lough.

A range of pondweed and stonewort species occur only in the mesotrophic loughs in Tynedale. Locally or nationally scarce aquatic plants occurring in the county include hybrid water lily, rigid hornwort, greater bladderwort, frogbit, floating and small bur-reeds and small water-pepper. A nationally important population of the rare northern spike-rush occurs in Northumberland, mainly in the backwaters of rivers but also in the drawdown zone of a reservoir.

In addition the great crested newt, a protected species under both UK and European law, is recorded from widely scattered locations in lowland Northumberland.