The Cotswold Water Park (CWP) lies in 40 square miles of farmland and wetland between Cirencester, Swindon and Lechlade.
As at April 2006 145 lakes had been flooded and this is set to increase over 50 years, creating other wetland habitats.
CWP holds nationally important numbers of wintering waterbird such as Smew, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Coot and Pochard. In Spring and Summer visitors can hear Nightingales or see flocks of Hobby migrating through.