‘Most significant work’ on Main Drain between Wiggenhall St Germans and Upwell to start this month
The “most significant work” to take place on the Main Drain since St Germans Pumping Station was built is kicking off this month.
Middle Level Commissioners are carrying out the desilting work in the river between the station and Cottons Corner Bridge in Upwell.
The river system consists of more than 190km of watercourses, most of which are navigable, that need maintaining to continue to function.
This work will return the Main Drain to its operational capacity, with the project funded by the Environment Agency through Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Grant in Aid funding from Defra.
In a newsletter, the Commissioners have said: “We are pleased to announce that our contractor Balfour Beatty will start the first phase of our multi-million-pound project in October.
“This is the most significant work that we have carried out since the construction of the new St Germans Pumping Station in 2010.
“The project aims to sustain the level of service provided by the Middle Level System. Work to desilt the Main Drain from Cottons Corner in Three Holes to St Mary’s Bridge close to St Germans Pumping Station will start in October and will take approximately six months.”
The desilting works will be carried out from the water using excavators situated on pontoons. To lift the plant and equipment into the watercourse, workers will install three temporary crane pads at locations along the Main Drain.
The desilted material will be placed on both banks and left to dry. The drying process takes approximately 12 months, weather dependent. Once the material is dry, it will be levelled, and grass seeded.
Before works start, crews will be carrying out environmental surveys and establishing their site compound.
The newsletter adds: “We want to keep the public safe while we work. To do this we will need to temporarily close sections of the bank where there are public footpaths.
“Each public footpath will be closed for up to six months depending on how long it takes to restore the footpaths to a safe condition following the works. This is largely weather dependent but we will re-open each footpath as soon possible once it is safe to do so.
“Please observe the footpath closure signs, keep children away from working areas and keep all dogs on a lead.
“We are committed to engaging with local people about the Middle Level Commissioners and the work that we do.”