The River Dougles rises as a series of springs on Rivington Moor, close to the contour and near to the summit of Winter Hill. They are called Douglas Springs, and the River Yarrow, one of its major tributaries, rises at more springs less than a mile (1.6 km) to the north-west. Nearby are Anglezarke Reservoir, Upper Rivington Reservoir, and Lower Rivington Reservoir, three reservoirs that form part of the Rivington Chain, a network of reservoirs built to meet the drinking water needs of Liverpool. These disrupt the natural drainage patterns of both rivers.