About the Cotswold Water Park
History
There is clear eveidence that people have been living in this area for the past 6000 years, but it is only in the last 50 years that the landscape has been transformed through gravel extraction.
Our Heritage
Between permission for extraction and starting to quarry, archaeologists examine sites for evidence of human activity. Then, during extraction, palaeontologists search for fossils in & under the gravel.
This has resulted in the Water Park becoming, archaeologically, the most researched part of Britain - and one of the richest areas for fossils from the Jurassic period and Ice Age.
Remains from over 6,000 years of human habitation have been discovered - from the early Stone Age, through the Bronze & Iron Ages, the Roman & Medieval eras, to the present day.
Fossils range from tiny 160 million-year-old shellfish to huge creatures that roamed the area only 50,000 years ago - including the famous mammoth skull on show at the Gateway Centre.
Gravel Extraction
Gravel extraction began in the area over 50 years ago. Because the water table is so high, the first quarries were dug ‘wet’; today, however, quarries are ‘de-watered’. When extraction is complete, all pumps are switched off and the holes fill naturally with water.
So far, 147 lakes have been made this way: almost 1,000 hectares of open water.
The gravel deposits range in depth from a few centimetres to 6 metres, and begin about 1 metre below the surface.
At present, 7 mineral companies are extracting 2 million tonnes per year from 360 hectares, with a further 370 hectares having permission for extraction. The emerging mineral plans propose allocating another 550 hectares for extraction. Beyond this, there’s another 50 years supply of sand & gravel.
Restoration
In the past, individual fields were sold for extraction on a piecemeal basis. Poor restoration planning resulted in rectangular lakes with steep sides which were bad for fishing, worse for wildlife, and required remodelling before they could be used for water sports.
After extraction & restoration, most of these lakes were sold to the highest bidder. This often led to incompatible uses of neighbouring lakes - with conflict and problems.
At present, there are more than 40 different lake owners, who use their lakes almost entirely as private property, private clubs or for private developments. Until now, however, there’s been limited strategic planning about the type and location of the different uses. Consequently, many lakes are poorly suited to their present use.
Organised Fossil Hunts
It is not possible for members of the public to enter a working quarry to look for fossils.
From time to time, the Costwold Water Park Society organises Fossil Hunts, by special arrangement with the mineral companies.
These usually take place in the winter months, between October and April, on a Sunday. Numbers are limited for safety reasons, and places must be booked in advance.
Friends of the Cotswold Water Park Society are informed of the dates of the Fossil Hunts first , and then an email is sent out to others on the email list, and the date is published on the website. It is unusual for the date to appear in the local press as the places always fill up very quickly.
If you would like to be added to the email list, please send an email to events@waterpark.org.
Some examples of the fossils found on recent Fossil Hunts can be found here.
