Craig Goch Dam Wales 2

Craig Goch dam Craig Goch is the highest upstream of the series of dams in the Elan Valley and is often referred to as the ‘top dam.’ Its located at a height of 1040 feet (317 metres) above sea level. As with all the dams, work started with the arrival of the railway line at the site. In the case of this dam the line had the furthest to go and a rocky outcrop had to be blasted and dug through on the route to the site, now known as ‘Devil’s Gulch.’ Work on excavating the foundations for a secure base for the structure started in July 1897, some three years after the start of work on the lowest dam at Caban Coch. Craig Goch is seen by many as the most attractive of the dams, with an elegantly curved retaining wall and a series of arches carrying a narrow roadway across the top of the dam. It has a domed valve tower and the structure is typical of the ‘Birmingham Baroque’ style of much of the waterworks scheme. Height: 36m Length: 156m Water level above sea level: 317m Reservoir area: 88ha Volume: 9,220 megalitres Valley: Elan