Client: Environment Agency
Location: Wooler, Northumberland
Contract Value: £0.08 million
Contract Period: October 2008 until November 2008
The works undertaken to the River Glen, Kirk Newton, which is a Specialist Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI), were due to the severe storms during September 2008, causing the river to flood and change course, over 1 mile from its original path, due to debris build up within the original river bed.
We were employed to carry out emergency works to clear the existing river bed of debris and re-divert the river back to its existing path.
Once diverted a 3 day volunteer fish rescue, including participation by our own workforce, was undertaken rescuing many thousand of fish including trout and salmon which had been trapped, relocating them back into the main river. This was of great importance as the river is significant to the Tweed Commission for seasonal spawning.
The works were carried out under continual observation by Natural England, the Tweed Commission and the Environment Agency. This was to ensure the river path returned to its original location causing the minimal amount of environmental impact.
On completion of the scheme the river banks were replaced to allow the land to be used as a natural flood plain, whilst at the same time keeping the river in channel.
