Ripon flood warning service updated
Warning areas increased following major flood defence works.
The Environment Agency has updated the flood warning service in Ripon following the £14.4 million investment Ripon Flood Alleviation Scheme on the Rivers Ure, Skell and Laver which includes the Laver Dam.
Using new modelling data, the Environment Agency has split Ripon’s three existing flood warning areas into five, providing more localised and specific warnings for residents.
Warning areas have also been expanded to include an additional 132 properties, and local flood warning triggers have been fine-tuned to provide even more timely warnings.
Flood Risk officer at the Environment Agency, Zoe Pattinson said:
Following the significant investment in Ripon by the Environment Agency, it is excellent news that we are able to offer more specific warnings to the local community. The updated warnings will be of even more use to people in Ripon, giving them more localised and timely information that will allow them to better prepare for a flood, should the risk be present.
The updates include extending the service to include properties where essential access to properties is at risk of flooding and removing other properties no longer at flood risk following the construction of the new flood defences.
We have worked with Harrogate Borough Council to improve the accuracy of the warnings sent, flood warning areas been amended, increasing the timeliness of the warnings sent.
This summer marks the second anniversary of the construction of the dam at Birkby Nab on the River Laver. The Laver Dam constricts the river flow to help reduce the amount of water flowing through Ripon and has already been used on several occasions to help reduce flood risk in Ripon.
The improvements to the flood defences reduced the risk of flooding to 548 residential properties and 96 business properties. Here is some of the work that was completed in 2012, as part of the £14.4m investment:
- Alma Weir has been lowered to improve river flow and restore a more natural river gradient. Over the last few weeks, the Environment Agency have been doing ongoing maintenance works to remove gravel from the radar river level and flow gauge upstream of Alma Weir.
- New earth embankments have been built at North Bridge up to four metres high, two flood arches have been cleared of debris underneath the bridge and sections of River View Road have been raised.
- At Fisher Green, one-metre high embankments and gabion walls have been built along the river bank.
- Along Borrage Lane, an embankment was built behind 15 properties to create a continuous line of defence to strengthen and fill in gaps in the previous piecemeal defences.
The Environment Agency’s flood maps show the risk of flooding for all types of land. The flood warning areas are specific to every community and more information can be found on our website.
If you are concerned about getting insurance for your property, you can find advice on the Environment Agency’s website and through the National Flood Forum or call 01299 403055.
Although this work has been done, the risk of flooding can never be completely removed. This is where it is important for residents to be aware of the flood risk posed to their properties and consider how to minimise the impact of flooding if it was to happen.
If you are not already signed up to the Environment Agency’s Free Floodline Warnings Direct then you can by phoning Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or by visiting the Flood Warnings Direct website.