The map on this page shows the location of the dams and reservoirs built in the Elan and Claerwen valleys of mid-Wales at the end of the Victorian years. The Claerwen dam, which is also marked on the map, was built much later and opened in 1952.
It also shows the position of the two big mansion houses, Cwm Elan and Nantgwyllt, which were lost because of the flooding of the two valleys.
If you click on many of the names on the map it will take you to the page which will tell you more.

The area shown on this sketch map covers about 9 miles from west to east and about six and a half miles from north to south. The amount of land bought by the Birmingham authorities for the scheme was bigger than this because they needed control over all the small rivers and streams (called tributaries) which flowed into the two main rivers. This larger area is called the watershed.

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