Options are revealed to stop floods
Apr 15 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
TWO options are to be tabled to protect a town from flooding. Later this month the Environment Agency will present Morpeth residents with a choice of flood alleviation schemes.
This will be either new flood walls for the town, or a combination of new flood walls with one or more storage areas upstream to hold back water in times of flood.
These options were identified as technically, environmentally and economically viable after considering a wide range of measures.
A third alternative, for upstream reservoirs alone, has been ruled out as providing insufficient protection without being combined with flood walls.
Both of the two preferred options would be complemented by improvements to culverts in Morpeth.
Increasing the culverts’ capacity should reduce the risk of flooding from Cotting Burn, Church Burn and Postern Burn.
For the flood walls option, existing flood walls could be raised or new ones built. Possible locations for new walls include at High Stanners, between properties and the River Wansbeck; behind properties on Mitford Road which back onto the river; and on the east side of the river between Oldgate and Elliot bridges.
The construction of one or more upstream storage areas would lead to a drop in height of the proposed flood walls and three possible sites have been identified – Rivergreen Mill, Mitford Hall and Low Angerton.
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