Chadwick Lakes

Chadwick Lakes are a number of dams, pouring into each other, on the island of Malta. The area is locally known as Wied il-Qlejgħa. Their location extends from Qliegħa Valley (Wied il-Qliegħa) in the limits of Mtarfa and Rabat, and extends to Għasel Valley (Wied il-Għasel) in the peripheries of Mosta.[1] It consists of a complex system of well-planned small dams, draining into Speranza Valley, then at Salina Bay, and then into the sea.[2]

This article is about valley in Malta. For reservoir in the USA, see Chadwick Lake.
One of the dams surrounded by fields, in Rabat

History

The lakes consists of a number of dams constructed by Sir Osbert Chadwick, a British engineer, in the late 19th century.[1] The valley consists of a complex system of well-planned small dams, draining into Wied Speranza and ending at Salina Bay into the sea.[2] The valley provides farmers with water to irrigate their land.[1] Wied il-Qliegħa is only full during the winter months.[2] During this period, the lakes are abundant of life. Biodiversity include of several indigenous plants, insects, tadpoles/frogs and crustaceans.[1]

Chadwick Lakes is Malta's only freshwater stream big enough to be called a rivulet, providing a tranquil environment for the people to enjoy.[2][3]

In February 2009, Matthew Psaila a 19 year old gunner, drowned during an Armed Forces of Malta training exercise in Wied il-Qliegħa. This particular exercise is part of the C Company's training syllabus and had been practiced for several years.[4][5]

As of 2018, Chadwick Lakes has been a site of particular interest to Biodiversity and Conservation specialists as the presence of alien species of crayfish is putting significant pressure on the local environment via predation and habitat destruction. [6]

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References
  1. Morana, Martin (September 2011). Bejn kliem u storja: glossarju enċiklopediku dwar tradizzjonijiet - toponimi - termini storiċi Maltin (in Maltese). Malta: Martin Morana (by author). p. 47. ISBN 978-99957-0-137-6. OCLC 908059040.
  2. "A visit to Chadwick". Ken's Photo Adventures. 15 February 2009. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  3. The Victorians in Malta: Part III (Architecture and Civil and Military Engineering Projects)
  4. "Soldiers acquitted over Gunner Matthew Psaila's death". The Malta Independent. 25 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  5. "What happened on... July 25". Timesofmalta.com. 1940-08-22. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
  6. "Invasion by non-indigenous freshwater decapods of Malta and Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea | Journal of Crustacean Biology | Oxford Academic". Academic.oup.com. Retrieved 2020-02-27.

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