Environment Agency to carry out work at Wychall Reservoir
£1.5million of essential maintenance works on the reservoir in Kings Norton, Birmingham to ensure the highest standards of safety at the site.
Image credit: Environment Agency
The reservoir, which is owned and managed by the Environment Agency, acts as a flood storage area due to its close proximity to the River Rea. When the river rises, the reservoir helps to prevent flooding by storing excess water until the river level returns to normal.
Following a site inspection, some mandatory works were identified as needing to be carried out to bring the reservoir in line with new safety regulations. These include upgrading the existing structure of the reservoir and extending and re-profiling the adjacent spillway. Other works include erosion protection of the downstream slope of the reservoir to provide additional strength to the embankment.
Richard Bentley, Environment Agency Operations Manager for the West Midlands said:
Following a recent site inspection we are carrying out improvements to increase the resilience of the reservoir to higher safety standards. Work started on the reservoir earlier this year and should be completed by the end of autumn. We’re delighted to also be able to make some enhancements to the wider site including creating new habitats and planting wildflower for pollinators.
As part of the scheme, the Environment Agency is providing a range of environmental enhancements to the area including covering the reinforced dam with wildflower grassland to attract bees and create habitats. More than 250 trees will also be planted in parks in the local area.
Members of the public are still able to access the nature reserve at the site while the works are underway. A diversion is also in place for cyclists who use National Cycle Route 5 which runs by the reservoir.
Background information
To protect members of public and comply with health and safety procedures, the road linking the park to the adjacent industrial estate will be temporarily closed for the duration of the works. This stretch of the road alongside the embankment is also part of a national cycling route, so the relevant partners have been notified and a temporary diversion route for the cycle path has been arranged.
The nature reserve will still be accessible through a fenced corridor from Wychall Lane at the site entrance, before following the line of the wall and along the river. Appropriate fencing is in place, although residents were asked to keep dogs and young children under constant supervision/control whilst the works are carried out. Traffic Marshals will be on site at all times to control traffic movements accessing the site from Wychall Lane.