Briefing

Briefing one 20 February 2014 Rivers Parrett and Tone Dredging Project
Background The Secretary of State when visiting Somerset in January asked for a 20 year Action Plan to be developed by mid-March to look at the various options for the sustainable management of flood risk on the Somerset Levels and Moors. Dredging is part of that plan. The 20 year Plan will also consider a range of other sustainable options for improving the areas flood resilience in the long term, such as maintenance, land management and community and business resilience. The Environment Agency is fully committed to dredging as part of the solution to reducing future flood risk on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

What dredging is planned? Dredging of an 8km length of the Rivers Parrett and Tone will begin next month provided it is safe and practical to do so.

A map showing the locations on the Rivers Parrett and Tone where dredging will take place.

Feedback after the 2012 floods with local people and key partners identified this 8km stretch of river as the area most in need of dredging because of significant silt build up. We will be using the 1960s Tone Valley scheme as the basis for our design, although there have been numerous changes in the river since then that we will have to work around (e.g. toe protection and stabilisation work). This dredging will help to relieve flood extents and durations on Curry Moor, Hay Moor, North Moor and Salt Moor; reduce the duration of flooding to the road network and reduce the flooding impacts on the wider community and businesses. Further dredging on the Somerset Levels and Moors has been put forward to be considered as part of the 20 year Action Plan. When will the dredging start? We will be ready to start dredging by the end of March 2014, provided water levels drop and the banks and adjacent land is dry enough for the specialist dredging contractors machinery to work safely. This week the Environment Agency is formally advertising the works in the Somerset County Gazette and the Western Daily Press in preparation for the dredging work to start in late March. We will start the dredging work on a 200 metre stretch of the River Parrett north of Moorland House Farm. We will be using the 1960s Tone Valley scheme as the basis for our design. As the water levels continue to drop and the land and banks dry out we will be able to start dredging at a number of locations along the 8km length. Over the next week or so we will be talking to key landowners about the potential for spreading dredged silt onto adjacent land. To an extent, our rate of progress will be determined by weather conditions and our ability to dispose of the dredged material. We will endeavour to undertake the dredging work such that any impact on the local community will be minimised. We are working to secure approvals and support for the work with key partners including: Local Authorities, Somerset Consortium of Internal Drainage Board, landowners, Natural England and the Marine Maritime Organisation. We are also keen to keep local communities updated on progress. How will we keep you updated on progress? Weekly updates will be sent to our partners, District and County Councillors and Parish Councils for wider dissemination. We are also planning to put these weekly updates on the Environment Agencys website. Information on the dredging project will also be shared at any flood surgery or public meetings being hosted over the coming weeks by the District Councils.