Townhead Reservoir (Banton Loch) – Major Works Planned

Townhead Reservoir (Banton Loch) – Major Works Planned 

Townhead Reservoir (known locally as Banton Loch), located near Kilsyth in North Lanarkshire, is a historic part of our network and has continuously fed the Forth & Clyde Canal since its construction in the late 18th century.  

The reservoir contains an average of 817,000m³ of water (equivalent to approximately 327 Olympic swimming pools); and it is integral to the management of water within the canal.  

We manage the reservoir in compliance with various pieces of legislation related to such areas as public safety, water quality, flood risk and ecology. That’s as well as maintaining the reservoir as a place for leisure, relaxation and access to nature. 

Most crucial amongst our responsibilities, however, is prevention of asset failure. Dam bursts, like the one at Toddbrook Reservoir in England in 2019, can unleash catastrophic flooding across a region. That’s why it is so important that we maintain a programme of regular inspections, pre-emptive repairs and structural upgrades across our 19 reservoirs.  

Altogether, Scottish Canals holds a quarter of Scotland’s freshwater in its network, which means we play a major role in water stewardship, flood prevention and climate change mitigation across Scotland. 

Upcoming engineering works at Townhead Reservoir 

Our inspections have revealed deterioration in the structure of the auxiliary spillway, a 28m long structure, added in the 1930s, which allows excess water to be released from the reservoir during times of heavy rainfall.  

While we have carried out repairs to the auxiliary spillway over the years, our latest assessment concluded that it will need a full replacement.  

Our engineering team is currently leading a project to replace it with a new, modern structure.  

Current status of the project 

Throughout September and October, our contractor Mackenzie Construction is conducting ground investigations around the auxiliary spillway to inform the design of the new structure. This information will feed into the design phase, which is scheduled to finish in summer 2026. 

Questions? 

If you have any queries for us in the meantime, please get in touch with us at: enquiries@scottishcanals.co.uk, or on 0141 332 6936 (Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5pm, Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm).