English: Spelga Dam. The Spelga Dam reservoir in the Mournes. See 1209131 and 1209120 for a few pictures from the little monument in the foreground.

There is a complete plaque on the monument which reads as thus:

1960 PORTADOWN AND BANBRIDGE REGIONAL WATERWORKS JOINT BOARD SPELGA DAM

DURING THE YEAR 1946 THE PORTADOWN AND BANBRIDGE JOINT WATERWORKS BOARD INSTRUCTED THEIR CONSULTING ENGINEERS TO INVESTIGATE AND RECOMMEND AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF WATER TO SERVE THE INCREASED REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR AREA. THIS WORK CONTINUED WHEN THE ABOVE BOARD WAS ABSORBED INTO THE NEW AND ENLARGED PORTADOWN AND BANBRIDGE REGIONAL WATERWORKS JOINT BOARD IN 1948. THE NEW BOARD BEING COMPOSED OF THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITIES:

PORTADOWN BOROUGH DISTRICT BANBRIDGE URBAN DISTRICT NEWRY URBAN DISTRICT DROMORE URBAN DISTRICT BANBRIDGE RURAL DISTRICT NEWRY No1 RURAL DISTRICT TANDRAGEE RURAL DISTRICT DOWNPATRICK RURAL DISTRICT

VARIOUS SOURCES OF SUPPLY WERE INVESTIGATED AND ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS THE BOARD DECIDED THAT A DAM SITUATED IN DEER'S MEADOW AT THE HEAD OF THE SPELGA PASS WOULD AUGMENT THEIR OTHER SOURCES SUFFICIENTLY TO SERVE THEIR REQUIREMENTS. INSTRUCTIONS WERE THEN GIVEN FOR A DESIGN TO BE PREPARED AND CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED IN NOVEMBER 1954. THE FIRST ROCK FOR THE FOUNDATIONS WAS EXCAVATED IN MAY 1955. PLACING OF CONCRETE COMMENCED DURING OCTOBER OF THAT YEAR. FILLING OF THE RESERVOIR BEGAN IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST 1957 AND THE WATER OVERFLOWED IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR.

SPELGA DAM, TOGETHER WITH FOFANNY RESERVOIR, IS CAPABLE OF SUPPLYING 6,500,000 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY. 500,000 GALLONS ARE DISCHARGED INTO THE RIVER BANN AS COMPENSATION WATER AND THE REMAINDER AFTER FILTRATION IS USED TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMPONENT AUTHORITIES AND THE KILCOO AREA OF KILKEEL RURAL DISTRICT.