Residents' views sought in bid to cut river flood risk

Communities along the course of the River Aire between Mickletown, near Castleford, are to be asked for their views on how flood risk in their towns and villages should be managed over the next 100 years.

Environment Agency staff will explain how its Lower Aire Flood Risk Management Strategy invests funds to protect homes and businesses by targeting available resources in the most effective way.

Floods in 2000 and 2007 affected a number of properties in the Lower Aire catchment area and highlighted what needs to be

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done to maintain existing defences and, where possible, improve them.

The Environment Agency will be holding two consultation events to update residents on the options being considered and to seek their views and support.

The first event will take place at Kellington Village Hall on January 25, between 3pm and 7pm and this will be followed by a similar event at Carlton Village Hall on January 27 at the same times.

Two presentations will be given at the events, at 3.30pm and 5.30pm, each followed by a question and answer session.

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Environment Agency staff will be on hand to answer questions.

Project manager Tim Cobb said: "We want to involve local people in finding the best ways of managing flood risk and improve our understanding of flooding within the Lower Aire catchment.

"Local knowledge is very important as it will help us to make the best decisions on how to manage flooding in the future."

Options being considered by the Environment Agency include investment in new flood defences on some parts of the river and reducing maintenance to banks on other sections that no longer provide protection to people and property.

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Mr Cobb said: "It is recognised that changes to maintenance of flood banks would have implications to people who own and farm land within the washlands but it is important to stress that we are at an early stage of our planning and no formal decisions have been made.''

The Lower Aire has a number of inter-connected washlands with front banks which allow water to overtop and fill the washlands from the River Aire during high river flows.