Flood prevention

River Petterill (13)

After looking at the first blip about Thacka Beck on Tuesday, RonaMac questioned whether there was any problem with flooding and I’m sure she wasn’t the only one to think about this. The answer is yes – there have been problems in the past with flooding, sometimes causing much damage to properties in Penrith. Then came along a Flood Alleviation Scheme.

The idea was to create a reservoir within which water from the beck could be held back and prevented from flooding the town. This picture shows the retention basin and river level measurement station, which control and store flood water at times of heavy rain. The beck is in the centre, flowing through the gate, away from the  gathered water. Apparently up to 76,000 cubic metres of water can be stored, equivalent to filling 30 Olympic sized swimming pools. 

The scheme was completed and opened in August 2011 and was then handed over to Cumbria Wildlife Trust, because what has actually been created, in the process of flood prevention, is an area of wetland where wildlife of all kinds can thrive. It is now a Nature Reserve with paths all round and is well used by local people. 

The scheme has been hailed as an excellent example of how flood storage, nature and wildlife can combine to create a special place for all to enjoy. (It was part of a Europe-wide project called ALFA – Adoptive Land Use for Flood Alleviation.)