Community volunteers cleared silt from Syston Brook, which was then removed by the Environment Agency.
Volunteers Clear Syston Brook Silt to Mitigate Flood Risks
The cleared sediment was subsequently hauled away by the Environment Agency.
A volunteer identified as Hick reflected on the physical demands of the cleanup, stating,
“It was a lot of hard work but we had fun, it was great.”
Hick, volunteer
Hick added that the local area experienced a fortunate start to the year regarding water levels, noting, It’s been quite fortunate this year because we didn’t have any floods in January, thank goodness, for the first time in a couple of years.
Hick further remarked that it was one of those jobs we’d have liked to have got done last year, but there was more water and a lot more stuff upstream that needed to be shifted first,
adding that the goal is trying to get to the bottom of it so that next year, crossed fingers, it won’t be so bad.
Tonbridge Installs New Medway Defense Following Historic Floods
The engineering efforts in Tonbridge follow severe weather recorded on 23 and 24 December 2013, when up to 76mm of rain fell within a 24-hour window onto a sodden Medway catchment. The resulting high waters caused the River Medway to respond by rising significantly, coming out of bank at Avebury Avenue and inundating approximately 80 homes in the Barden Road and Danvers Road area of Tonbridge.
To prevent a recurrence, authorities constructed a new 320-metre flood defence running parallel to the river behind the Avebury Avenue flats.
The newly established barrier restores local ground height and will reduce the risk of flooding from the river to homes in the area, working in conjunction with existing flood defence walls in Tonbridge town centre and the Leigh Flood Storage Area. Lennox noted that since Tonbridge was flooded in 2013, officials have done a lot of work to make communities more resilient to the risk of flooding.
Officials emphasize that although the new defence will reduce the likelihood of flooding, flood risk can never be completely eliminated.
Community Warden Network Complements Infrastructure Projects
The Environment Agency has been working with Kent County Council and Kent Fire and Rescue Service to train Community Flood Wardens to work with communities and emergency services before, during and after a flood event.
Carl Lewis, one of the Flood Wardens for Tonbridge, outlined the responsibilities of the local volunteer network, stating: Tonbridge Flood Warden Team are local volunteers committed to the safety and security of the people in at risk areas of the town and liaise closely with the Environment Agency and other agencies.
Lewis added that Flood Wardens are vital to helping communities survive the effects of flooding.
Emergency management personnel continue to urge residents living near vulnerable waterways to prepare personal flood plans and utilize official resources. Lisa Lennox encouraged local residents to check their flood risk, make a flood plan, and sign up to our free Flood Warning Service by visiting GOV.UK or calling 0345 988 1188.
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