A cleaner and greener borough

Date published: 23 July 2018

Hello from everyone at the Environment Agency and welcome to our area round-up. In this bi-monthly report, we aim to bring you a rundown of all the work we have been doing in your local community as well as key news and developments from the Environment Agency across Greater Manchester as a whole.

We hope you enjoy reading. Here’s what we have been up to in Rochdale during May and June...

Taking the next step in flood risk management

We thought it only fitting to start this month’s round-up off with some very exciting news.

The Rochdale and Littleborough Flood Alleviation scheme will receive a much awaited funding boost of £5 million towards the project cost.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/120652/rochdale-flood-defence-scheme-given-£5m-boost-by-government

Alongside Rochdale Council, our successful bid in Rochdale and Littleborough means that the scheme can now move into the next stage of the project, including the finalisation of preferred scheme plans, as discussed with local community members, and preparatory works such as the removal of invasive plant species from areas linked to the scheme.

Both Rochdale and Littleborough flooded extensively on Boxing Day 2015, with some 324 properties badly affected. Many more experienced some form of flooding and 18,000 properties lost power. 

The future flood scheme will increase the level of protection to 1,000 residential properties as well as critical infrastructure such as the tram network, a bus station, a grid sub-station and a waste water treatment works.

Going forward, we hope to hold a number of drop-in sessions in September to give residents and businesses an update on the progress of the proposed flood scheme. In the meantime, residents may see ecological surveys and some ground investigation taking place. It is also possible that members of the project team may contact you or your business directly in the coming weeks to ensure that we work together to minimise disruption.

72 debris screens cleared and the risk of flooding reduced

Over the last two months, our Operations Team have been busy removing blockages and clearing grids throughout the local area.

This vital work helps reduce flood risk to the community by ensuring the rivers and streams of Rochdale and Bury remain clear.

Throughout May and June, our team cleared 72 debris screens and removed debris on Buckley Brook, Piethorne Brook, Parr Brook and Blackshaw Brook.

Typically, the kind of things the team find and remove can range from natural vegetation such as fallen branches, to bike and car parts which have been carelessly thrown away. They even find the odd shopping trolley on occasion.

The old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ overlooks the fact that whatever people dispose of still has to go somewhere. So it is crucial that people don’t throw anything into streams and rivers because ultimately, these actions increase flood risk and could even be the cause of flooding.

Managing an invasion

Invasive species are the primary threat to plants and wildlife in the river and, if left untreated can cause potential flood risk.

Throughout Rochdale and Bury the main culprits in the invasive species line-up is knotweed, hogweed and Himalayan balsam- which grow in water along the banks of rivers, especially favouring stagnant conditions and warm temperatures. Once present in a reach of a river it can establish dense mats of vegetation that can out compete native species, dominate watercourses, obstruct boats and prevent angling.

We have been managing invasive species as part of our maintenance programme for many years using a combination of eradication techniques. In May and June our Operations Team focused efforts on the Lower River Irwell catchment and Buckley Brook as well as Radcliffe and Bury, using spraying equipment to remove growth.

Dealing with drought

All of us in Greater Manchester have been enjoying relatively dry for weeks but low amounts of rainfall over a prolonged period can cause problems for the environment and these sunny spells mean we are taking significant notice of our region’s rivers and other water sources.

As we move into the heart of summer, the prolonged hot and dry weather means reservoir stores have started to decrease, with some reservoirs looking lower than others.

The good news is that we have had some rainfall over recent weeks however, with forecasters predicting a return to hot dry weather for the rest of July, United Utilities have taken the necessary step to introduce 'Temporary Use Bans' (formerly known as 'Hosepipe Bans') for much of the North West.

As the Environment Agency, we have a big part to play in minimising potential impacts to communities and the environment and since the start of this dry weather spell, we have received reports of 74 incidents. These include fires, low river flows and lake levels, fish in distress, fish mortalities and algal blooms.

Just like in a flood scenario, we have put robust and well tested plans in place during this period of dry weather, ensuring our demand for water is managed in the best possible way by balancing the needs of people whilst protecting the natural environment.

We are regulating water companies and non-water companies abstractions and our enforcement officers are carrying out inspections to assess compliance with abstraction licence conditions. We are also advising businesses and farmers on water usage, including companies such as Chester Zoo, which uses boreholes to supply water for its elephant enclosure.

As we deal with the ongoing dry weather, we are fitting our incident response to our culture of ‘Thinking Big, Acting Early and Being Visible.’ Our officers are on the ground and they are responding to incidents, clearing blockages from rivers and continually monitoring river flows and groundwater

If needed, we will limit the amount of water that can be taken from a river and we will rescue fish struggling to get upstream. Although, it is always worth noting that if you do see fish gulping for air or something that does not look normal, please call our incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

During this period of drought, we all have a part to play; including you.  Look at the ways you can save water around your home and make sure you are being as efficient as possible. United Utilities has some top tips for saving water, energy (and even some spare change), by making some simple changes including only washing full loads in your washing machine or dishwasher and turning the tap off when you brush your teeth. All easy day-to-day changes that will protect one of our most precious resources and our environment.