MAJOR works to discontinue a North Yorkshire reservoir have moved into a second phase after a break to allow for the shooting season.

The £1.3 million project at Oakdale reservoir near Osmotherley is being undertaken by Yorkshire Water, and is part of a £60 million programme of work at a number of reservoirs over the last five years.

Engineering specialists, Mott MacDonald Bentley worked on the first stage of the project between March 31, 2014 and late August, 2014.

The work, which is required to comply with the Reservoir Safety Act 1975, had to be undertaken in two stages to avoid being carried out during the shooting season, and phase two will take until August this year to complete.

The decommissioning of the reservoir includes the overflow weir level being significantly lowered by excavating a hole through the embankment, and constructing a new raw water channel through the centre.

The reservoir was created in the 19th century to help drinking water supplies for the region but is no longer needed and bringing it up to modern standards would be too expensive.

Yorkshire Water own and manage approximately 120 reservoirs. Many of these were built in the 1800s and present significant maintenance and repair challenges.

After the works are complete, a reduced body of water will remain and the site will be then landscaped, and the area, which is popular with walkers, will remain as a leisure asset for the local community.

The level of Oakdale reservoir was lowered in the early 1990s and the reservoir has been downgraded to a small pond attracting a wide variety of wild life. Yorkshire Water continued to maintain it and until now it remained available to supply compensating water to Cod Beck reservoir and the River Swale.

Dave Ellis, Yorkshire Water project manager, said: “This is a large project and we’d like to thank residents and visitors in advance for their patience while we carry out this work.

“The Cleveland Way National Trail that runs alongside Oakdale upper reservoir will not be affected. There may be increased traffic volumes in the area for the duration of the works but this will be kept to a minimum through Osmotherley.

“Please be assured we'll do our best to keep any disruption to a minimum.”

The work schedule is dependent on weather conditions but Yorkshire Water has pledged to keep residents updated.