Fullerton Pollan
Dam
Fullerton Pollan Reservoir was completed in 1997.
It has a central conventional concrete gravity section flanked by
earth core- rocldill embankments. The dam is 22.5 m high above
lowest foundation. The concrete dam incorporates the spillway, fish
lifts, draw-off and compensation release pipe work.
Thick deposits of till and peat deep blanket the site. The till
was used for core material while rockfill for the shoulders was
excavated from an on-site quarry.
The concrete mix designs for the dam made use of cement
replacement to minimise thermal cracking. The performance of the
dam over its first five years has followed expectations.
Peat excavated from the dam foundations and the surface of the
quarry and the borrow pits was spread on the left flank of the
reservoir upstream of the borrow pit.
There were some landslips in this material initially but during
the construction period these were spread and stabilised.
A rocktill bund was constructed at the toe of the peat spoil
slope at Full Supply Water Level to contain the flows of peat spoil
and limit wave erosion at its toe that might lead to further
instability. Since construction was completed the peat spoil has
been stable and now supports a good cover of vegetation.
Fullerton reservoir is 400 acres in size and has a large
population of both wild and stocked brown trout. The reservoir is
fly-fishing only, with a two trout bag limit and no shore fishing
is permitted.
Birders often flock (no pun intended) to the area to catch
glimpses of the Sea Eagle, Golden Eagle and the Merlin Falcon which
have been seen in the area.
