UK's Flood Management Schemes Completed
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Government
Environment Agency Completed the UK's Coastal Realignment Scheme in Somerset to Protect Local Businesses from Future Flooding
The Steart Marshes flood management scheme, developed in partnership with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), involved the construction of a giant saltmarsh which will naturally absorb wave energy, protecting people and property from storm surges.
WWT's chief executive Martin Spray said: "We need to be brave and bold if we are going to deal with the impacts of climate change. WWT Steart Marshes proves you can protect homes and businesses by using wetland technology that works with nature, not against it.
The project involved half a million cubic metres of soil being dug up and moved to create new and improved flood banks afterthe extreme weather of 2013/14 caused havoc for communities and businesses in the South West.
The newly excavated 200 metre gap in the Parrett Estuary coastal embankments is being managed as farmland and a nature reserve and should become a nursery for commercial fish stocks such as sea bass. It will also the protect newly constructed flood banks from erosion so that they last longer.
National infrastructure
Environment Agency project manager Richard Cox said: "Over 200km of coastal banks around the Severn Estuary reduce flood risk to more than 100,000 homes and businesses, a benefit valued at £5bn. There is an ongoing need to maintain these structures.
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