| Previous Site | Next Site |
Earth Science Conservation Review
| Broad Water - site of local interest | Down |
| Site number: | 705 | ||
| Locality Type: | Valley | Status: | local interest |
| Grid Reference: | J126648,J149628 End(s) of linear site | ||
| Google maps: | 54.51952,-6.26113 | ||
| County: | Down | Council area: | Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council |
| Period: | Quaternary | ||
| Site Description | |
|---|---|
| Highlights: | |
This site preserves one of the largest glacial drainage channels in the Lagan Valley. It formerly linked Glacial Lough Lagan and Glacial Lough Neagh. | |
| Description: | |
Ponding of local drainage by ice during the retreat phase of the Main Glaciation has left very few overflow channels incised into solid rock in the Lagan Valley area. One of the largest overflow valleys is the one followed by the Lagan Navigation Canal at Soldierstown near Moira. It drained Glacial Lough Lagan into Glacial Lough Neagh. The intake at Boyle’s Bridge just east of Moira is at about 43m O.D. and the outfall at about 21m. The broad flat floor is now partially obscured by the disused Lagan Canal and by the Broad Water lake. The overflow may have been partially re-activated later by melt waters from the Antrim Coast re-advance. | |
| Importance: | |
The site is of scientific value as it preserves one of the largest glacial spillways in the Lagan Valley. | |
| Keywords | |
|---|---|
| Relations: | Glacial feature |
| Geomorph: | glacial drainage channel |
| Paleoenv: | glacial |
| Access | |
|---|---|
| Management: | |
The site includes a stretch of the now disused Lagan Navigation Canal and lies along the route of a walk along the Lagan Canal towpath promoted by Lisburn Borough Council. The immediate area acts as both a breeding and wintering ground for a large variety of wildfowl. |
| Record type: | SLNCI Report | ||
| Entered by: | E M Porter | ||
| Last updated: | 09/10/03 | ||
| Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2026. Broad Water - site of local interest, County Down, site details. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review. https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/site.php?item=705. Accessed on 2026-11-05. |
| Previous Site | Next Site |