Forge Dam

It IS a shame that this once beautiful dam has been allowed to silt up. I remember as a 12 or 13 year-​old going fishing at the dam, on an awful rainy day back in about ¹⁹⁷⁷⁄₇₈ and, at that time, the dam was still open water with no island visible in the middle, as it is today. I recall the wooden seats too, going back even further, to when I was only 4 or 5 years of age.
I think also there was kiddies paddle boats too at one stage, although i may be wrong on that one.
I think it’s time for the dam to be cleaned up of silt, just like the Shepherd’s Wheel dam, just down from Forge Dam!
David, Sheffield

FORGE DAM is situated roughly five miles to the West of Sheffield city centre in the Porter Brook valley. To the North of Forge Dam about one mile away is the Fulwood district of Sheffield.
The dam has seen better days, years ago it was a large expanse of open water fed by water from Porter Brook. Large flocks of geese used to visit the dam and so did ducks. Apart from these large numbers of people used to visit the dam to fish or sit on the benches that were provided for picnicers around the side of the dam.
Today however, it’s an entirely different scene. In the centre of the dam there is a large island that has been created by silt flowing into the dam via Porter Brook. Due to the silt island hardly any geese or ducks visit the dam now. Little black water hens with their bright orange beaks are plentiful instead. The water of the dam is black due to peat thats in the silt, the fish cannot be seen anymore, although a few people do still come to fish. The picnic benches have all gone as nobody sits any more to admire the dam and it’s surrounding countryside.