CITATION GLADHOUSE RESERVOIR SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST Midlothian
Site code: 692
NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE: NT 299535
OS 1:50,000 SHEET NO: Landranger Series 73 1:25,000 SHEET NO: Explorer Series 345
AREA: 186.41 hectares
NOTIFIED NATURAL FEATURES
Biological : Birds : Pink-footed goose ( Anser brachyrhynchus ), non- breeding
DESCRIPTION
Gladhouse Reservoir Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is located approximately 5 km south of Temple, near the Moorfoot Hills in the south of Midlothian.
The site comprises an artificial, mesotrophic freshwater body with limited development of aquatic and emergent vegetation. The reservoir is the largest freshwater body in the Lothian area and is the most important site in Midlothian for breeding and wintering wildfowl.
Gladhouse Reservoir is of international importance as a goose roost. Together with the alternate roost for these birds - Fala Flow - Gladhouse is the most important pink- footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus roost in Midlothian. Larger numbers of greylag geese Anser anser are also present.
The reservoir also supports breeding mallard Anas platyrhynchos , tufted duck Aythya fuligula , teal Anas crecca, coot Fulica atra , moorhen Gallinula chloropus , great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus and little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis .
There are few freshwater bodies in Midlothian so Gladhouse is of local significance for its aquatic and emergent plants and aquatic invertebrates.
NOTIFICATION HISTORY
First notified under the 1949 Act: 1968 Re-notified under the 1981 Act: 22 August 1985 (with a reduction of 119.8 ha). Notification reviewed under the 2004 Act: 22 July 2010
REMARKS Measured area of site corrected (from 186.5 ha).
Gladhouse Reservoir SSSI is also designated as Gladhouse Reservoir Special Protection Area (SPA) for the birds listed below.
Birds: Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus ), non breeding