It is the site of a Nature reserve in South Staffordshire, operated by the West Midland Bird Club. Entry to the reserve is by permit only, but much of the open water is visible from the road causeway which crosses the reservoir, and there is access to the dam end of the reservoir.
This large reservoir has held many scarce and rare migrant birds, including an inland Arctic Warbler, Bonaparte's Gull and Blue-winged Teal.