Rivers cleared to stop repeat of floods

TREES and debris are to be removed from the rivers Don and Loxley in Sheffield next month, as part of a 4m flood prevention scheme .

The scheme follows the floods of June 2007, which particularly affected areas of Sheffield including Kelham Island, Attercliffe, Middlewood and the Meadowhall shopping centre.

It is hoped that the flood prevention work, which involves removing trees, debris and silt from the riverbed, will reduce the risk of further flooding as it will prevent obstructions from building up in the two rivers.

Earlier this year Environment Agency staff removed thousands of tonnes of debris and silt which had built up in the River Don channel. They also felled more than 100 trees which had self-seeded in and around the river, some of them growing more than 50ft tall.

Jonathan Moxon, operations delivery technical specialist from the agency, said: “Work on the next phase of the scheme – phase four – will start at the beginning of October and is due to last until Christmas.

“Since the flooding in 2007 we’ve surveyed watercourses in Sheffield and the surrounding area to identify potential troublespots where trees, vegetation and debris might increase flood risk.

“The latest work is a continuation of this project, which has involved working closely with Sheffield Council and other organisations, and we have modified our approach to concentrate on tree work as a result of consultation with local people.”

Next month an Environment Agency team will begin work around the River Loxley in Hillsborough – between Malin Bridge and the confluence with the River Don – around the River Don between the Loxley and Rutland Road and also on the River Don from Newhall Road to Meadowhall. They will also dig out silt from the River Don near Forgemasters.

An Environment Agency spokesman added: “The diversity of local wildlife means all work in and around the river channel has to be carefully planned to avoid disturbing creatures such as otters, brown trout and grayling.

“The flood prevention work has had to be planned to take place outside the seasons for coarse fish spawning and bird nesting, and before work can start the area is surveyed by Environment Agency and consultant ecologists.

“As part of the scheme any colonies of invasive non-native plants, such as Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam, will also be identified and removed.”