a better place for you Nottingham Trent left bank flood alleviation scheme
An outline a history of flooding
Nottingham has a well- We assessed the condition and documented history of flooding, height of the existing defences and dating back to 1795. The most investigated options to improve flood recent serious flood occurred in protection to properties. March 1947. Twenty-eight miles of streets, 3,000 properties and 86 As a result of the assessments we factories in the city centre were carried out in Nottingham we flooded. In response flood concluded that: defences were constructed through some areas of Nottingham left Nottingham in the 1950s. bank are only protected against a flood that has a 1 in 501 chance of Fifty years on, these defences still occurring in any year. protect Nottingham from the ravages some stretches of defence are in of the River Trent. Although the flood poor condition. defences have been well maintained over the last half-century, they are In March 2005 we published our nearing the end of their design life. findings in the Fluvial Trent flood risk We have also found that the management strategy. standard of flood protection provided 1 Floods are categorised by their size and the in some areas is below that currently frequency with which they are expected to occur. recommended by the Department of A 1 in 50 year flood event is one that is expected to occur once every 50 years or twice a century. This may the Environment, Food and Rural also be expressed as a flood with a 2% chance of occurring in any given year. A 1 in 100 year flood only Affairs (Defra). has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year but its effects would be much greater. Flood risk and the River Trent Following the widespread flooding in Top: Notts County football ground flooded in partsofthe Midlands in 1998 and November 2000. (Picture courtesy of Nottingham Post) 2000 we carried out an appraisal of Above right: Midland Station flooded in 1947. flood risk along the River Trent Bottom right: Bosworth Road in the Meadows between Stoke-on-Trent and Newark. area, 1947.
2 Environment Agency Nottingham Trent left bank flood alleviation scheme managing flood risk in Nottingham
Although it will never be possible How can we reduce flood risk? to prevent flooding entirely, we are Nottingham FAS has several aims Our preferred solution for Nottingham committed to managing flood risk including: is to raise existing flood defences and in Nottingham. Managing flood to reduce flood risk to to construct new defences where risk means reducing both the people and properties on required. We propose to construct likelihood of flooding and the Nottingham’s left bank these defences to a 1 in 100 year impact of flooding on people and to increase the variety of plant standard. This would protect the left properties when it occurs. and animal life in the river bank against a flood that has a 1 in corridor 100 chance of occurring in any year. Nottingham Trent left bank flood to improve the overall A 1 in 100 flood is indeed rare, but it alleviation scheme (Nottingham appearance and environment could have devastating consequences. Trent left bank FAS) of the river corridor Through the Nottingham Trent left to increase the recreation value Top: Properties in Colwick, one of the areas that will benefit from the scheme. bank FAS we are investigating how to of the river corridor Below left: Attenborough is another area manage flood risk along the left bank to consider the interests of where we intend to improve flood protection. of the River Trent in Nottingham. individuals and organisations. Below right: Railway track at Attenborough. Over 15,000 properties could benefit Attenborough station flooded in 2000. from increased protection.
Environment Agency Nottingham Trent left bank flood alleviation scheme 3 where are we proposing to work?
We are looking to improve flood Trent Meadows Newberry Avenue, Owen Avenue and protection between the M1 at Sawley The proposed works at Trent Holme Farm. We are also and Radcliffe Railway Viaduct in Colwick, Meadows will involve raising the investigating a number of options for a distance of 27km. This will reduce height of existing earth defence alignment in the vicinity of flood risk to over 15,000 properties. embankments in the vicinity of Trent Meadows allotments. Within this area, works need to be carried out at the following locations:
Sawley Proposed works at Sawley will include raising the height of existing earth embankments at the following locations: