Sea and River Defences

The members of the Sea and River Defences working party include John Nichols and Richard Steward

4th June 2014

At its last meeting the Parish Council appointed John Nichols as its representative on the Blyth Estuary Group. Other members from the village include Richard Steward and James Darkins.

The protective fencing to the south training arm of the harbour has been renewed by Waveney District Council.

The condition of the fencing protecting the dunes has been surveyed by the Environment Agency: a scheme for restoration will be submitted for consultation with the Parish Council.

17th April 2014

The flooding of Robinson's Marsh by last December's storm surge vividly demonstrated the weakness of the river banks and the vulnerability of houses in The Lea. In view of the Environment Agency's policy to abandon all maintenance within the next 15 years, the Parish Council, together with the Common Lands Charity, will be encouraged to find alternative ways of strengthening flood defences, in particular by supporting the scheme for raising the banks first proposed by the Blyth Estuary Group in 2009.

23rd November 2015

BLYTH ESTUARY GROUP: Public Meeting with the Environment Agency More than a dozen Walberswick residents attended the Environment Agency's drop in session at the Southwold Sailing Club to hear about the revised scheme for the reinstatement of Robinson's Marsh wall. EA had originally intended raising the wall from its present uneven height of 2.2-2.7m, to a constant level of 2.8m, the height of the 2013 surge at the Boat House. However, this was opposed by Blackshore residents and businesses who feared that raising the bank would increase their flood risk. To meet these concerns, EA now proposes incorporating into the bank opposite the Harbour Inn a 100m long spillway with a reduced height of 2.5m, to allow the controlled flooding of Robinson's Marsh under surge conditions to a depth of about 1m. After discussion, the meeting agreed that EA will proceed with the spillway proposal, subject to computer modelling of the revised scheme to determine anticipated flood levels. The wall from the ferry crossing to Old Vicarage Cottage will be raised this October. Construction of the new wall and flood gate across Ferry Road and reinstating the river wall from the ferry crossing to the Bailey Bridge, will commence next May. During the works the riverside footpath will be diverted across the Marsh. When completed, the works will protect Robinson's Marsh and property at risk in The Lea and Ferry Road from a 1 in 20 year storm surge. To maintain this level of protection against future sea level rise, it will be necessary to raise the banks again within the next half century. J. NICHOLS (Blyth Estuary Group Representative)