Northumberland 4shores at Alnmouth

 

You might have noticed some works happening around Alnmouth over the last year or two.  These works are part of the larger 4shores project, of which Alnmouth is the first site along the Northumberland Coast to have works happen.

 

The 4shores project was born out of a need to find a more sustainable way of managing flood risk.  The existing tidal flood defences along the Northumberland Coast were built to protect mainly grazing land from the threat of flooding and cannot withstand extreme high tides.  To maintain and increase the level of protection of pastureland would mean that maintenance and repair costs for the outdated defences would be likely to increase substantially over the next 10 years.  Expected sea level rises, due to climate change, has also meant that we have to reconsider how we defend our land and methods we have used previously might not be best suited for the future.

 

Phase 1 of the Alnmouth works took place in September 2006 and the wetlands are reviving themselves at a natural pace.  The Environment Agency, in conjunction with Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), are producing interpretation boards to be placed around the site to inform and educate visitors about the work that has been done at Alnmouth.  The boards should be in place within 6 months.

 

We have been very pleased with the variety of birds and plants that are returning to the area and look forward to seeing how the site develops.

 

At the end of January, works will be starting on Phase 2 of the project.  This phase will focus on the six fields approximately 1 mile north of Alnmouth; upstream of Duchess bridge.  We have carried out in-depth modelling of the area, and are looking to remove nearly 100 metres of floodbank.  We hope to create nearly 40ha of new wetlands habitat by doing this.

 

As we did in Phase 1, we will be removing sections of floodbank and redistributing the soil across the site.  We will also be digging shallow scrapes and ditches and creating small ponds for the water to store and create a variety of habitats.  Again, we will be placing information boards around the area, with seating provided too.

 

You can see from the photo the area we will be working in and that the fields along this stretch of the river already flood when water levels are high.  The works we will be doing will allow this stretch of the river to have it’s floodplain back again, which in turn will act as a natural flood defence and create very important habitats.

 

We have carried out an environmental assessment for the works, to identify and manage environmental risks and to ensure that the works would not have an adverse impact.  Alnwick District Council have been consulted and a Land Drainage Consent is currently being sought and is expected to be agreed by the end of January.  The Parish Councils from both Alnmouth and Lesbury have seen presentations from staff at the Environment Agency regarding Phase 2.

 

The work the Environment Agency are doing is building on other environment initiatives within the Northumberland Coast AONB.  Projects of the like include trying to understand how and where birds move around the coastline, working on heathland and habitat recreation and enhancement schemes and roosts for high tide waders.

 

Further afield in Northumberland

 

The 4shores project is set to run until 2009.  Other sites are also being looked at for the creation of natural flood defences.  A site at Beal has been chosen as the second location for the project and small works will be taking place this year, with the larger section of the project taking place in the next financial year.  As work progresses at Alnmouth and Beal, the project manager will investigate opportunities to extend into other areas on the Northumberland Coast.  Additional sources of funding will be sought to facilitate extending the project both in area and timescale.

 

If you would like to find out more about the project or plans at Alnmouth, please contact Siobhan Leslie, 0191 203 4322 .