The Flood Hub

Upstream Measures

Upstream measures are an essential part of the Flood Risk Management Scheme and our aim to provide a 1 in 100 year standard of protection to homes and businesses in the Kent catchment. The upstream storage element aims to provide 3million m3 of flood storage which will enable all linear defences through Kendal, Burneside, Staveley and Ings to be built to a height that is acceptable for the local area and the community.

In addition to the flood storage, a catchment drain is proposed upstream on Stock Beck which will be designed to divert excess flows overland into the River Mint. This will improve the conveyance of Stock Beck through Sandylands and reduce the risk of Stock Beck surcharging.

Natural flood management, also known as NFM and slow the flow, does form part of the proposals and is complimentary to the proposed traditional engineered measures. NFM as a stand-alone option will not provide the level of flood protection needed for communities within the Kent catchment. This is because there are a number of limitations which include suitable land capacity, large scale land management changes and cost.

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Flood Storage

The Environment Agency are identifying potential flood storage locations in the Kent catchment that can provide the required storage needed in combination with linear defences which aim to provide a 1 in 100 year standard of protection; the equivalent of a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.

The proposed upstream storage areas will be formalised by building raised earth embankments and integrating a control structure. These measures will maximise the existing natural floodplain in storm conditions and hold excess water to reduce flooding to properties downstream. The land within the storage areas can be used as it is now during normal conditions and will only be utilised to hold excess flood water.

The earth embankments will be carefully landscaped to blend into the natural environment and the river will be kept in its natural state always having free flow to enable the continued unrestricted movement of fish and other river wildlife. The River Kent is ecologically very important and overall we want the scheme to enhance the environment for wildlife within the catchment.

Whilst the Environment Agency cannot provide the flood risk benefits from delivering NFM alone, they are committed to identifying opportunities to deliver projects where they have landowner permissions and a delivery partner. The Environment Agency is already supporting a number of projects and working with other organisations and landowners to identify new opportunities for delivery in the future. There are currently four projects underway to improve the local environment, attenuate and slow the flow in the Kent catchment area.

The Environment Agency working with Lancaster University are undertaking a number of pilot projects which includes a pilot in the Kent catchment to evaluate the effectiveness of nature based flood mitigation. Watch the video to find out more.

 

To find out more about the catchment pilots and the project aims and objectives, click here.

 

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Peatland Restoration

The Environment Agency are committed to working with natural processes as far as possible to make catchments resilient to climate changes. Working in partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust as part of the Cumbria Peat Partnership, Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme has committed to delivering 50 hectares of peatland restoration in the uplands of the Kent catchment.

Peatlands are formed from bog moss called Sphagnum. Functioning blanket bogs provide a number of benefits including:

• Storing carbon
• Providing habitat for specialist species
• Providing clean drinking water
• Protection against flooding by slowing the flow

Most of the blanket bog in the Lake District has been damaged and is not able to function as it should. Restoring these peatlands by re-vegetating bare peat, blocking drainage channels and increasing the amount of Sphagnum in the uplands can have real flood alleviation benefits as sphagnum can hold up to 26 times its own weight in water!

Peatlands can help to prevent flooding by slowing down the speed by which water reaches rivers and streams in times of high rainfall. In periods of dry weather, peatlands also provide slow release of water to rivers and streams helping to prevent these from drying up.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency have a lot of experience in peatland restoration and 992 hectares of blanket bog have been restored across Cumbria over the last 3 years. The Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme has created an opportunity to expand this work in to the Kent catchment.

Work will take place in parallel with the main scheme and will include a monitoring programme to record the changes in wildlife and water flow that result from the project.

For more information on the peatland restoration project click here.

 

Multiple Benefits of Peatland Restoration

As well as providing protection against flooding, this peatland restoration scheme will also provide a number of other benefits for the environment.

 

Wildlife: There are many species of wildlife that are specialist to the acidic and nutrient poor qualities of peatlands. Cumbrian peatlands provide a great space for this wildlife to thrive.

 

 

Carbon Storage: Peatland is the UK’s largest carbon store. The peat restored in this scheme could store 164 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

 

 

Water Quality: Peatlands are great at filtering rainwater and provide 70% of the UK’s drinking water.

 

 

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Reston Scar Staveley

The Environment Agency have worked with project leads South Cumbria Rivers Trust to delivering a three-phased project that aims to ‘test and trial’ new techniques to reduce flood risk for rural communities. This project includes:

• Several leaky timber structures
• Drainage works to store, divert and slow flows during storm events

For more information on this project, visit the South Cumbria Rivers Trust website here.

 

 

 

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Stock Beck & Birds Park Reservoir

The Environment Agency are working with project leads Cumbria Wildlife Trust, along with United Utilities and local landowners, to reduce the risk of flooding to the community of Kendal using more natural solutions rather than traditional flood defence schemes. By creating a wetter environment and by planting a wide variety of trees the project will also greatly improve the range of habitat on the land, creating multiple benefits for the environment.

Working with farmers

One aspect of the project is working with the farming community to look at options to reduce the flow of water including sub-soiling which also improves water infiltration and soil quality, and re-routing flows away from pressure areas.

United Utilities land

The project is also working on United Utilities owned land with their support, and much of this work has been done by the Kendal conservation volunteers.

• Constructed large wood and earth bunds that slow down water in large storm events.
• Created swales that divert water to slow it from reaching the community downstream.
• Testing further methods to slow and temporarily store water, such as using rebuilt drystone walls designed to hold water back.
• 7,100 trees have been planted at Stock Beck so far, with over 500 more to be planted.
• Tree species mainly consist of Sessile Oak and Hazel, along with many Rowan, Aspen, Hawthorn and Cherry. Crab Apple, Bird Cherry, Blackthorn and Goat Willow trees are planted in the upper part of the reservoir.

There are permitted pathways through the land, and people are discouraged from walking on the structures as over time it could damage them and reduce their effectiveness.

 

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Town View Fields

The Environment Agency have worked with project leads South Cumbria Rivers Trust and landowners South Lakeland District Council as part of the Defra funded Cumbria NFM programme to deliver an exciting urban NFM project in the heart of Kendal, South Cumbria.

The Kendal Town View Fields project site is being used to test how effective and viable NFM techniques are in urban areas to reduce peak flows during storms events. Some aspects of the project include:

• 90 metres of de-culverted watercourse
• A meandering stream running into two bunded wetland areas
• Creation of leaky dams and bunds using natural materials
• Planting of native tree species and wetland species

For more information on this project, visit the South Cumbria Rivers Trust website here.

 

 

There are a number of other projects being delivered by other organisations that will provide some flood risk benefits. These projects can be varied in their nature and include environmental enhancement projects, improvements to infrastructure, conveyance and drainage.

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River Restoration

The Environment Agency has made a commitment to undertake approximately 2km of river improvements within the Kent catchment. Further information to follow.

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Ford Bridge Replacement Burneside

The Environment Agency worked closely with Cumbria County Council to construct a new replacement for Ford Bridge which opened in 2019. Cumbria County Council invested £1.5m in the project, as part of its Infrastructure Recovery Programme, to replace the bridge which was damaged by Storm Desmond in 2015, and subsequently closed in 2017 for public safety.

The bridge has been designed to be more resilient to future extreme weather events and will allow more water to flow under the bridge which will help reduce the overall impact of any future flood events.

For more information and to view photographs of the new bridge, visit the Cumbria County Council website here.

 

 

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Staveley Bridge Replacement

Cumbria County Council invested around £500,000 as part of its Infrastructure Recovery Programme into the Staveley Bridge replacement project which was completed in May 2017. Old Gowan Bridge was severely damaged by Storm Desmond in 2015 and the new structure was designed to increase resilience and increase the volume of water able to flow beneath it.

For more information, visit the Cumbria County Council website here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Burneside Wall Repair

Remedial works have been carried out to repair the flood defence wall running along the boundary of the Bridge Street car park, adjacent to the James Cropper Plc factory.  A structural inspection and monitoring process indicated that movement between two sections of the wall caused a crack to form.  As part of the works the team installed an expansion joint to account for any movement.

 

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Gooseholme Bridge

The Environment Agency, Cumbria County Council, and South Lakeland District Council have worked in partnership to develop the detailed design for the new Gooseholme footbridge, whilst considering the flood defence scheme works and feedback from public engagement in July 2019. The council’s application to build the bridge was approved by the Planning Inspectorate in August 2020. Arriving in four pieces weighing 55 tonnes, the new footbridge will be assembled on site and lifted into place by a large 1,000 tonne crane in July 2020. A memorable day for the people of Kendal.  The footbridge is due to open by Autumn once finishing works are complete.

This single span bridge provides greater capacity within the river channel, reducing the chance of blockages and improving the flow. The Environment Agency have designed their flood walls to neatly tie into the new access points of the bridge.

For more information and to view visualisations of the new bridge, visit the Cumbria County Council website here.

 

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General Overview

Across the Kent Catchment

The majority of ground investigation (GI) being undertaken throughout Burneside, Staveley, and Ings has been completed.  Investigations continue to inform the potential for upstream storage locations.

Once they are finished The Environment Agency will have carried out over 200 exploratory locations to better understand ground conditions. This information will be used to develop the Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS) scheme proposals.

Over the next 12 months surveyors will re-visit borehole installations periodically to gather further information on seasonal changes in the water table.

 

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Environmental, ecological, and aquatic surveys

Environmental, ecological and aquatic surveys have been carried out for a number of different species and habitats to help inform the design of the Flood Risk Management Scheme.  These surveys look at, for example otters, badgers, bats, aquatic and river habitats, and are vital in helping us to understand wildlife present in catchment and the best ways to try and avoid impacts from our scheme.  Results from all the surveys will feed into the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRS).

 

 

 

 

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Tree Surveys

 

A team competed a number of walkover surveys to identify and record ‘arboricultural’ features.  This identified woodlands, tree groups, or individual trees of significance that need to be considered as part of our proposals and could result in, for example, root protection zones or potential tree loss. Information gathered will inform the design of the flood defences and any mitigation that is required. ​

 

 

 

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Geomorphological surveys

Geomorphological surveys help The Environment Agency to understand the processes that cause the different physical features across the catchment.  A walkover survey through all of the watercourses is undertaken to characterise and map different areas of geomorphological forms and processes, allowing us to measure the size of the river bed material.  This helps to identify areas of erosion, deposition, pools and riffles, and understand how stable the river bed is.  We can then better predict how the river will react to any interventions resulting from our scheme.

 

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Ground Investigation (GI) surveys

A GI survey is a means of determining the condition of the ground. Investigations focus specifically on intrusive works such as trial pits and boreholes and so differ from the wider investigation surveys which we have already undertaken that tend to be non-intrusive in nature such as visual and environmental surveys.  The ground investigations carried out will help determine:-

• the water table level and water flow;
• the nature of faults, fissures and voids underground;
• ground layer thicknesses and soil properties; and
• detailed information about soil and ground samples.

 

 

 

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Structural surveys​

From Summer 2022 The Environment Agency will carry out a number of surveys on key structures e.g. walls and bridges throughout the Kent Catchment to identify the structural integrity of existing infrastructure which may form part of, or be impacted by our proposals.  They focus specifically on intrusive works such as the drilling of ‘structural cores’, the primary purpose of which is to obtain an undisturbed, intact sample of the wall material. This will help determine:

• the thickness and construction of existing river walls; and
• overall strength and density.

In this way they differ from the wider non-intrusive investigation surveys which we have already undertaken such as visual and environmental surveys.

 

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Kentmere Topographical survey

Listening to local knowledge and input from The Environment Agency’s collaboration with the Kentmere Flood Liaison Group we have completed a supplementary topographical survey in the upstream areas of the Kentmere valley during September 2021.  A survey team used GPS equipment to take a cross-sectional survey to check the different slopes and levels of the land.  This identified key features such as water courses, trees, walls, public rights of way, bridleways, or service utilities.  Data gathered is being used to better understand natural flood controls in the upper catchment.

 

 

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Stock Beck Culvert and Ecological surveys

 

You’ll be pleased to know that a series of surveys within the Stock Beck culvert system have successfully been completed.  These surveys will determine the structural integrity and conveyance capacity through areas of East Kendal.  During the surveys enabling works were carried out where needed to unblock sections of the culverts, allowing the condition of the culvert system to be recorded with CCTV cameras.  Camera footage and other measurements collected through the surveys will be used to help us design and carry out repair and improvement works to sections of the culvert system.

 

 

 

Data gathered through aquatic and terrestrial habitat surveys around the Stock Beck culvert and tributary system will inform rehabilitation works, as well as the development of ‘fish friendly measures’ we can incorporate into our proposed approach to the Stock Beck catchment drain, and if we need to, put any complimentary measures in place to protect bats, otters and white clawed cray fish.

 

 

 

 

 

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Our road map to delivery

The Environment Agency are currently in the early design stages of the scheme for the communities within the Upper Kent Catchment. For more information on each phase of the flood risk management scheme development please click here.

 

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Burneside

July 2021

Ground Investigation Works

The Environment Agency need to return to the ground investigation works location to undertake further testing in Burneside during August. There will be a temporary road closure on Wednesday 18th August. For further information download the document below.

• Burneside Ground Investigation works info August 2021

 

May 2021

Ground Investigation Works

Starting on Monday 17th May, the Environment Agency will be undertaking ground investigation works in the two areas below. Download the leaflets for more information and maps highlighting access routes and work locations.

• On land behind Churchill Court, Sprint Holme, Carling Steps and Carlingdale for up to 8 weeks. Download: Burneside Churchill Court May 2021

 

• At two locations on Back Lane (off New Road) lasting up to 2 weeks. Download: Burneside Back Lane May 2021

 

March 2021

Ground Investigation Works

• The ground investigation works started in Burneside in mid March and will continue until late spring 2021. The Environment Agency will be working in a number of locations which are identified on the map below, with each exploratory location taking between 1-3 days to complete. Further information can be found in the newsletter and news articles below.
  • Burneside Ground Investigation Newsletter
  • Ground investigation works begin in Burneside with new webpages launched

 

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Staveley and Ings

March 2021

Ground Investigation Works

• The ground investigation works are planned to start in Ings in late March and will be complete by mid-April. The Environment Agency will be working in a number of locations which are identified on the map below. Further information can be found in the newsletters and news article below.
  • Staveley Ground Investigation Newsletter
  • Ings Ground Investigation Newsletter
  • Ground investigation works begin in Burneside with new webpages launched

 

 

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Kentmere

February 2021

• Upstream Measures Update

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Stock Beck

Stock Beck Culvert Survey Activities

The Environment Agency will be undertaking a number of culvert surveys (starting 26th July for several weeks) to determine the structural integrity and conveyance capacity of the Stock Beck culverts running through areas of the North East of Kendal. These surveys will identify where they need to carry out repair and restoration works and will supplement the information they already have on the culvert conditions from previous surveys we have carried out. To find out more about when and where the surveys will take place download the newsletter below.

• Stock Beck Culvert Survey Activities Newsletter July 2021

 

Stock Beck Ground Investigation Works

As part of the Kent Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme, the Environment Agency will be undertaking Ground Investigation (GI) works to inform their detailed design of the proposed Stock Beck Catchment Drain. The GI work in the fields around Stock Beck will commence from Monday 28th June 2021, until mid-September. These GI surveys are being undertaken by a specialist contractor, fully qualified and experienced in undertaking ground investigation works.

• Stock Beck Ground Investigation Works document

 

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Archive

These Key Facts documents give you a quick and informative overview of the features and benefits that the Upper Kent flood scheme will provide, along with key dates. Click to download.

 

• Protecting Our Local Wildlife Key Facts May 2021

The aim of the Kent Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme is to not only protect people and properties from flooding, but to create a lasting benefit for the community and the local environment. The Environment Agency plan to enhance the river corridor throughout the extent of the scheme and manage links with other projects helping to increase habitat and biodiversity. Find out more in this document.

 

 

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• Kent Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme Key Facts July 2022

Here is a snapshot of some of the benefits being delivered as part of the Kent Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme.

 

 

 

 

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Kent Catchment:

• Kent Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme Update May 2022
• Kent Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme Update Oct 2021
• Kent Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme update – Stock Beck culvert rehabilitation works Oct 2021
• Covid-19 and impacts to delivery of Flood Risk Management Schemes Jan 2021

 

Burneside, Staveley and Ings:

• Kent Catchment Ground Investigation Works Newsletter June 2021
• Staveley Ground Investigation Newsletter March 2021
• Ings Ground Investigation Newsletter March 2021
• Burneside Ground Investigation Newsletter March 2021
• Burneside, Staveley, Ings and Upstream Measures Update Feb 2021

This page contains archived information (for example previous fact sheets and newsletters) about the Upper Kent Flood Risk Management Scheme, click here to view it.

 

There is currently no planning submission information.

Currently no events taking place

The Environment Agency is delivering a proposed Flood Risk Management Scheme to better protect homes and business from flooding in the Kent catchment, and improve the local environment and community amenities. Kendal is the first area to be delivered, followed by Burneside, Staveley, and Ings, and upstream measures including flood storage. In addition, Natural Flood Management measures are being integrated into the plans which aim to slow the flow of water and provide wider environmental benefits across the catchment.

For further information on the Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme, click here.

If you have any queries, please contact: KendalFRMS@environment-agency.gov.uk

Twitter: @EnvAgencyNW