2009 Statutory Report

Glasgow City Council Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Act 1997 2009 Statutory Report November 2009 Steve Inch BSc(Hons) DipTRP Executive Director of Development and Regeneration Services Contents Page Foreword 3 1. Watercourse Management 4 2. Measures Identified as being Required 4 3. Measures Taken since Publication of Previous Report 6 4. Occurrences of Flooding since Previous Report 6 5. Flood Prevention Work 7 6. Additional Activities 7 Appendix A List of Main Watercourses in Glasgow 9 Appendix B Significant Maintenance Work Carried Out 10 Appendix C Watercourses City-wide - Location Plan 12 2 Foreword The Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, as amended by the Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Act 1997, requires the Local Authority to prepare and publish a report every two years. This report is the seventh compiled by Glasgow City Council in compliance with this Act and covers the period from 31 October 2007 to 1 November 2009. Within the initial report, the Council advised that it would corporately manage its watercourses for the good of the environment, its population and its economic development. The contents of this report outline the progress made to date as well as listing the actions taken in respect of its duties under the Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Act 1997 which are :- • The measures which Glasgow City Council considers it requires to take to prevent or mitigate flooding of non-agricultural land within the City; • The measures which Glasgow City Council has taken since the date of publication of the previous report, November 2007, to prevent or mitigate such flooding; and • All occurrences of such flooding since the previous report. This report incorporates information recorded by Development and Regeneration Services and Land and Environmental Services on all watercourses within the City. 3 1. Watercourse Management The Corporate Working Group, set up in 1997 in response to the Flood Prevention and Land Drainage Act 1997, has evolved into the scope of the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership. The objective of the Partnership is the development of the Strategic Drainage Plan. This Partnership comprises Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Renfrewshire Council, Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Agency. The Council recognises the requirements of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 and the role of Responsible Authority. The policies and practices that are currently being followed are generally in line with this Act. A cyclical watercourse cleaning programme has been implemented along the watercourses (excluding the River Clyde) paying particular attention to known trouble spots. Primarily, this is to remove the rubbish, vegetation and debris which cause blockages at sensitive locations identified from an ongoing assessment. There are now fifty five trash screens and other sensitive locations throughout the city and these are cleaned at regular intervals as well as on receipt of heavy rainfall warnings. The expenditure for this programme and parallel works was in excess of £500,000 for the reporting period. Consultant appointments have been made and will be continued to be made for studies to determine the performance of specific watercourses and consider the feasibility of flood prevention works. (See Sections 2 and 5) Where isolated blockages or maintenance works are identified during the assessment process, remedial measures are either implemented or prioritised in line with available resources. A database continues to be developed to include details of flood history, maintenance work required and implemented, and general catchment management data. This is based on the Geographical Information System (GIS). 2. Measures Identified as Being Required to Prevent or Mitigate Flooding As noted above, a programme of cyclical maintenance continues to be undertaken. In parallel to this, through ongoing assessment and a prioritised programme of works, watercourse clearing is carried out where it will reduce the likelihood of flooding. (see Appendix B.) In the main this has focused on culverts through former industrial areas which are severely silted and of uncertain structural integrity. This work has also included the removal of shopping trolleys and domestic waste from open watercourses. In addition, the projects outlined in Section 2.1 have been commissioned to develop surface water management plans and to ascertain where improvements to sensitive areas can help to mitigate flooding. There are, however, some watercourses that are almost wholly culverted. For these watercourses, surveying is continuing to be undertaken to ascertain their condition, line, level and size. The information gathered is and will be essential data for the construction of hydraulic/computer models (see Section 2.1). Glasgow City Council and SEPA are now promoting the opening of watercourses and the removal of culverts in the interests of reducing flood risk, enhancing water quality and biodiversity. A list of watercourses in the City is attached in Appendix A along with a plan of flooding locations in this reporting period in Appendix C. 4 2.1 Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Plan The Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Plan (MGSDP) is being undertaken in the recognition of the need for an integrated and sustainable approach to drainage master planning for the City. The objectives of the MGSDP are: • Enabling economic development. • Flood risk reduction; • Water quality improvement; • Watercourse habitat improvement, and; • Integrated and optimised investment planning. The Partnership and the plan is being promoted and guided by a Partnership Board comprising Glasgow City Council, Scottish Water, Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and Scottish Government. The following projects are being undertaken by the City Council and are based on the principles developed in the plan. • South Dalmarnock Integrated Urban Infrastructure The high level studies previously carried out for the Clyde Gateway Integrated Water Plan are being further progressed with a detailed surface water management strategy. It is being developed in co-operation with the Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company. It will inform and enable the development of Clyde Gateway. • Toryglen Area Development Sites The surface water drainage infrastructure project has been completed allowing development sites in this area to be implemented. • Camlachie Burn Overflow The construction of the overflow culvert is progressing through two contracts. The first contract which is nearing completion, is to lay it through the National Indoor Sports Arena site to the River Clyde. The second contract to join up with the Camlachie Burn at Gallowgate will be carried out as part of the East End Regeneration Route construction contract. • Gartloch/Easterhouse Surface Water Management Plan Scoping work has been carried out to determine the work that is required to comprehensively study the sensitivity and complex hydrology of the Gartloch and Gartcosh Area. This will inform a further appointment to fully understand the hydrology and guide the placement of Community Growth Areas. It will inform the management of the surface water not only within this area but also in the downstream catchment. • Integrated Hydraulic Models The integrated hydraulic model of the public sewerage system and watercourses in the Dalmarnock catchment is being updated and upgraded. This model will allow a more detailed and accurate assessment of the issues and provide a robust tool for the development of drainage options and solutions. • Development Forums Glasgow City Council takes part in discussion groups with Scottish Water and SEPA in order to remove constraints, associated with flooding, to development within the City. • Flood Prevention Scheme Proposals Consideration is underway to devise flood prevention measures in the Dalmarnock catchment, to follow on from the construction of the Camlachie Burn Overflow. 5 2.2 Quay Wall Maintenance The two year cyclical programme of inspections of quay walls on the River Clyde is on-going with 50% of walls being inspected each year. Approximately 230 linear metres of new quay walls were constructed at Pointhouse Quay prior to the site start of New Riverside Museum (NRM) works in March 2008. Inspect ions and an engineering assessment of Pointhouse Quay had shown that the existing quay walls and wharfs would not be strong enough to allow development of the adjacent land and that the height of the existing quay walls and wharfs was lower than would be required to provide flood protection. Corrosion protection works to the new quay walls are currently being installed. A new length of approximately 100 linear metres of quay wall has been constructed by Glasgow Harbour Ltd to allow the closure and infilling of Yorkhill Basin. At Broomielaw, on the North side of the River Clyde, the quay has been refurbished along with major Public Realm improvements. The Tradeston quay wall on the South side of the River has also been replaced along with major Public Realm improvements as part of the regeneration initiative of the Tradeston area of the City. The new Tradeston footbridge is now complete enhancing the connection of this area to the city centre at Broomielaw. It is hoped that this will contribute to the regeneration of the Tradeston area. A quay wall at Balmoral Street is being considered for repair. 3. Measures Taken Since Publication

Load more