WORK is needed to repair a leaking reservoir at Yarner Wood.

Landowners of the East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve Natural England are looking to replace an existing 400m diameter culvert through a 100-year-old dam structure as part of a scheme to stabilise the area for the foreseeable future.

Last year, Natural England noticed the small reservoir at the nature reserve and identified water was seeping through a retaining wall.

Subsequent investigation revealed the blockwork wall was ‘significantly undermined’ and posed a health and safety risk.

The area involved includes English Nature’s site office and an education centre.

The crest of the dam features an access road to the education centre.

The proposed repairs, which are the subject of a planning application to Dartmoor National Park, will address the risk of failure of the dam embankment.

The plan is to replace the culvert with a concrete box culvert and demolish the existing retaining wall to replace it with a new concrete wall.

A further aim of the proposals is to maintain safe access across the leaking reservoir and to make the dam and embankment and associated retaining wall safe and stable for the forseeable future.

Extensive silt removal work is required in Yarner Wood pond basin, and is also planned directly upstream of the dam.

The silt has significantly reduced the capacity of the reservoir to the extent that the water depth is now only 1.5m.

A decision is expected in October.