Overview
The lakes are formed from former gravel pits in the floodplain of the River Thames. The company Lafarge and formerly Redland plc have undertaken the gravel extraction though the Sonning Works. Caversham Lakes Trust Ltd has been set up to administer the lakes. The road-building company Tarmac holds the freehold of the site, whilst major lessees include the Kennet and Thames Marina (operated by TingDene Marinas), the Rowing Lake, and the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency has a base, Caversham Depot, which has three functions: it operates a Thames water-quality laboratory; a 50-ton boat lift; and a yard where a variety of boats are kept on the hard standing. Although the Caversham Lakes are obviously not historically part of the Thames waterway, both the Marina and the Caversham Depot control waters that link to the Thames.
A High Court Ruling in 2017 confirmed marinas form part of the non-tidal Thames and as such, all boats moored in marinas are required to be registered at all times. Environment Agency inspectors may issue enforcement notices and may monitor compliance.
Sport and leisure
Watersports
A wide range of activities from open water swimming, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing & aqua park was available from Caversham Lakes operating without planning permission until March 2024.
Motorboating
The Thames and Kennet Marina in motorboating also uses an engineered lake (a marina dock) with access to the river Thames.
Waterskiing and wakeboarding
Isis Waterski Club is a committee-run members club which offers wakeboarding, wakesurfing and waterskiing. Princess Margaret and her husband Lord Snowdon waterskied here during the 1960s.
Angling
Fishing is available at no charge on the public stretches of the Thames adjoining, having obtained the relevant annual government licences. It is also available on a paid basis at a few of the lakes which are accordingly replenished with a wide variety of fish.
