The Environment Agency is seeking views on the best way to tackle flooding on the lower reaches of the River Derwent which includes the City of Derby. The Agency has started a consultation on the draft Lower Derwent Strategy – the deadline to submit comments is 10 December 2008.

There are approximately 3,600 properties in the Lower Derwent at risk from a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any one year (1 in 100 year event). Over 6,900 properties are at risk from a flood with a 0.1% chance each year (1 in 1000 year event). The Agency believes that some areas are at much higher risk of flooding than previously thought and climate change are likely to make the situation worse.

Within the Lower Derwent there are 28km of existing flood defences which were constructed in the 1960s, 1970s and more recently in 2000. These defences largely consist of walls and embankments which are regularly inspected and properly maintained but in some places are coming to the end of their useful lives.

While the Agency is clear that something has to be done it said that the study shows there is no simple solution.  For example, to raise Derby’s flood defences along their existing line to provide increased protection would require significantly higher walls and make floods worse for communities both up and downstream of the City.

The Agency has proposed a new route for the defences through Derby city centre which would provide a higher standard of protection, no adverse impact upstream and a reduced impact to other communities downstream, including allowing for predicted increased river flows due to climate change. As well as improving flood protection for many homes and businesses, what the Agency describes as a ‘Blue Corridor Vision’ would make the river an integral part of the urban and rural environments in a way that can be enjoyed by people, whilst supporting wildlife and enhancing the area’s cultural heritage.

Elsewhere along the Lower Derwent the Agency is proposing a variety of solutions, from continuing maintenance, to new and raised flood defences and also removing obstructions in the floodplain.

Area Flood Risk Manager, Innes Thomson, said:

“There are no simple solutions for Derby and nearby villages.  While the area may not have suffered from significant flooding in recent years, experience in other parts of the country this and last summer shows that it is only a matter of time. We want to provide modern standards of flood defence along the Lower Derwent as soon as possible and, working with other authorities, help people to better understand how they can improve their resilience to flooding in general.

“The draft Lower Derwent Strategy explores a variety of options that we believe represent the most effective way of protecting the area into the future. It’s important that people have their say. None of these proposals are set in stone, but we do have to work within what is reasonably viable and sustainable. We want to hear what people think.”