Serendah 7 wells

Seven Wells - Telaga Tujuh - at Serendah, Selangor

These seven wells are located in a river bed.

There is little factual information on the www , but there is a lot of 'fiction'. The best info is on this blog.

This blog writes that the dam by constructed by the British Government probably after WW2, to help the tin mining industry.

Serendah, which means low lying, presumably suffered from floods. There were many tin mines in the area at one time. And the hills were heavily forested.

The 7 wells were constructed upstream of a dam in the river. The dam consists of vertical walls and each of the 7 wells has its own outlet in the dam. The above mentioned blog writes :The 7 wells situated before the falls are of varying heights for water to flow in if there is heavy rain thereby regulating the volume of torrential rain that comes down from the hills. Vertical concrete wells were embedded into the river bed and water that flows into it will gush out through a watergate of 7 outlets plunging about 3 meters into a pool". The blog also shows an interesting old drawing of the structure.

I found some 1972 photos of tin mining at Ulu Serendah on the Keene State College Institutional Repository , Wallace E. Mason Library www

More history - Loke Yew had 42 mining leases in Serendah in 1903.

Today the area is relatively well maintained, with a sign board on the road side and another at the very small car park. There are a couple of pondoks with tables and a large "danger deep water" sign. Unfortunately a couple of the wells are partly clogged with vegetation.

Looking down river

Getting there - from Serendah town going north, go past the police station, and then turn right at the traffic lights, to Kpg Datu Harun. Follow this road until you see the 7 Wells sign on the right.

3°21'48.28"N 101°36'45.08"E


FICTION:

There is more fiction than factual information on the www. And I am amused to see sites which write 'natural wells' and "These wells are always overflow with water from a river that flows downstream". The wells dont' overflow, they act as a sink, and of course the river flows downstream!

Reading a piece in The Star November 18, 2007 By RENITA CHE WAN
Telaga Tujuh,
I don't think the writer actually went there as the description is not very accurate:

"A place of mystery and intrigue, Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells) comprises seven natural pools or wells which are fed by waters that come from a river flowing downstream in a series of cascading waterfalls. The overflow from the first pool forms a little stream that flows to subsequent pools below. Locals believe that this area is a favourite playground of fairies and genies. It is said that you can actually sense that these mystical beings are near at times, especially when you suddenly pick up an inexplicable scent in the air."

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission