Report into Wainfleet flooding published

Image of Wainfleet flooding 2019 (Richard Hardesty)

Lincolnshire County Council has published an independent report looking at what led to the flooding in Wainfleet in June 2019.

Produced by Norfolk County Council, the report highlighted the ‘significant’ rainfall – over 150ml in two days- which led to the overtopping and erosion of the relief channel bank, as the main cause of the breach.

The report also highlighted other contributory factors that may have played a part in the flooding, including: the design of the banks, amount of vegetation on the banks, silt levels, the level of water in the relief channel, cattle grazing on the banks, overflowing surface water and foul drainage systems caused by the significant rainfall and water flow.

Along with the causes of the flooding, the report highlights 18 key things that the Risk Management Authorities and local community could do individually and collectively to reduce the risk of flooding to the village and its surroundings in the future.

These include, amongst others:

• assessing the conditions of the banks along the Steeping River,
• monitor silt levels and vegetation growth in the channel and on the banks,
• reviewing maintenance programmes,
• improve land management practices e.g. controlling cattle and managing the effects of burrowing animals in/on embankments,
• implement flood mitigation measures,
• look at ways to better manage surface water, and
• to develop community plans.

Robert Caudwell, Chair of ADA, and the Steeping River Catchment Group, commented: “This awful flooding event 8 months ago really highlighted the dangers posed to lowland catchments and communities by increasingly intense rainfall events, a result of our changing climate.

“It is critical that the Environment Agency, internal drainage boards and lead local flood authorities all work together to identify and implement the most effective and efficient solutions to managing our river channels, associated raised embankments, and flood defence assets, alongside how water can be better managed in the wider catchment.

“I’m pleased that all these parties have come together to explore and implement all of these solutions as a partnership for the Steeping River.”

The report is available in full on www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/wainfleet

The report will be heard and discussed at the Flood and Water Management Scrutiny meeting at 10.00 at the Storehouse in Skegness on Monday 24 February 2020.

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