The Environment Agency is to start nine weeks of work to fix two breaches on the River Welland, days after South Holland District Council Leader Nick Worth branded its handling as ‘a complete disaster’.
The breaches that flooded Cowbit and Crowland washes in January have been subject to delays.
But days after Coun Worth hit out at the Environment Agenct at a meeting of the council, work has now been announced to start.
“Our framework contractors are planning to begin the repairs this week,” a spokesman for the Environment Agency said. “It has not been possible to start sooner due to the presence of nesting birds which are protected by law.
“We estimate it will take approximately nine weeks to repair the two breaches and the area of bank that has slipped.
“Our framework contractors will be delivering the repair. The repair will involve installing compacted clay to fill the void. Geogrid will be added to provide additional reinforcement to the bank slope before it is finished with topsoil and grass seed.
“Whilst the main breach is being repaired, we will need to lower water levels in the River Welland for approximately two weeks to allow the repair work to be undertaken. The levels will be restored as soon as possible.
“We understand how difficult this has been for the local community. We heard this first hand from landowners during engagement sessions held at the start of July.
“During these sessions we explained what had happened, why the repairs had been delayed and our plans going forward. In addition to the repairs, we are working on contingency plans to ensure we able to evacuate water quickly, if required in the future.
“We are also developing a project to explore the future use of the Washes for managing flood risk to reflect the changing climate.
“We will be engaging with the local community throughout this project.”
It comes after the meeting of South Holland District Council on Wednesday where Coun Bryan Alcock asked the council to write to the Environment Agency.
“We’re hearing all sorts of reasons why they can’t do it,” Coun Alcock told the council meeting as he asked the council to officially complain to the Environment Agency. “Asbestos was mentioned but if it was a private enterprise they would have found a way round that by now.
“The Welland is in a parlous state, reeds growing everywhere and you’ve a hell of a job to see any water in the cut from the river to the Coronation Bank.
“The farmers still have problems in the wash area itself and if the breach isn’t repaired before the wet season it’s all going to happen again.
“For reasons which I can’t understand the New River was held at a higher level than it usually is for much longer than it should have been which has caused the land not to dry out so, even though the land looks dry for the present moment, you can’t put machinery on it because it sinks.
On top of that, the low water level makes the centre of Spalding less attractive than it normally is with the Welland as its main feature.”
Coun Worth responded: “It’s been a complete disaster as far as I’m concerned.
“They need to pull their finger out and get on with it.
“They can’t even use nesting season now as an excuse.
“It’s making a mess of the water taxi service in town and it doesn’t look particularly nice with the water level down there.
“There’s a lot they should be doing and I don’t think they’re doing their duty as they should.”
