Herefordshire in a better position to cope

5:00pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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HEREFORDSHIRE is in a better position to deal with flooding than it was 12 months ago, according to the Environment Agency (EA).

Tim England, the county’s EA flood risk manager, said Hereford in particular was well protected thanks to the ongoing flood alleviation scheme, which is expected to be finished in August.

Work on the scheme began last summer and would have been completed by now had it not been for three floods hitting the construction site, the worst of which left Riverside Walk and Bishop’s Meadow under six inches of water.

A flood of the same scale now would not even require the agency to use the aluminium drop-in panels which can be slotted into the new defence in a matter of hours.

Mr England said initial scepticism surrounding the £6 million scheme had died down and that feedback had been very positive.

The agency’s work has not just centred on Hereford. Surgeries have been held around the county including Bromyard, Bodenham and Hampton Bishop – one of the worst-hit places last year.

Mr England said: “We have been looking at cases of flooding there and have come up with three options. It is public money we are spending so we have to justify the economics.

“A draft report will be available at the end of July and then we consult with residents.”

Mr England added: “Cross Keys is partly the responsibility of the Lugg Internal Drainage Board. We have been reviewing a study carried out in 2001 which suggests there are limited options for the area because it is in a low-lying flood plain and relatively few properties are affected.

“Individual property protection such as water proofing and flood gates are probably the way that will be dealt with.”

The flood scheme at Ross-on- Wye, the construction of which has been overseen by Herefordshire Council, will pass into the hands of the Environment Agency upon its completion.

The EA’s operations delivery team has also removed 50 tonnes of silt from a culvert on Dowdings Brook in Bosbury.