The embattled Environment Agency has defended the decision to close a pumping station following criticism in light of devastating floods which have ruined people’s homes.
Black Sluice Internal Drainage Board feels that the flooding in Billingborough and Boston could have been prevented if the Black Sluice Pumping Station was still in operation.
The pumping station was decommissioned several years ago following a study which presented evidence that Boston site did not play an important role in protecting homes and agricultural land.
The Environment Agency says it has evidence that the closed Black Sluice Pumping Station was unrelated to Billingborough flooding
The IDB is now calling for the computer modelling in that study to be revisited in light of devastating storms in recent years – including Henk which resulted in Cowbit and Crowland washes being flooded for months after a bank on the River Welland collapsed last year.
Farmer farmer Dean Wesley, who rescued five people from the floods in Billingborough with son Ryan, has also raised concerns about the impact of closing the Black Sluice Pumping Station.
A spokesman for the EA says it has evidence that the flooding seen in Billingborough is ‘unrelated’ to whether the Boston pumping station was operating – and is planning a review to ‘understand the source of flooding’ across the South Forty Foot catchment area.
The spokesperson said: “This week we have seen record river levels in the South Forty Foot Drain and the surrounding catchment due to heavy rainfall, snowmelt and frozen ground increasing run-off.
“Black Sluice Pumping Station officially ceased operation in 2018, following a joint decision by partners including Black Sluice Internal Drainage Board, Lincolnshire County Council, Boston Borough Council and the NFU.
“This decision was based on a four-year modelling study, which showed that whilst the pumping station makes a small difference to flood risk, this reduction in risk could not outweigh the cost of refurbishing and running the asset for the future. In addition, current use of the navigation lock has been proven to discharge the same amount of water, if not more, from the South Forty Foot catchment than the pumping station can.
“In Billingborough, flooding occurred the day prior to flooding in Boston. Our evidence is very clear that the earlier flooding to villages in the upper catchment is unrelated to whether the pumping station in Boston was used.”
The EA has added that it will carry out a review of the current flooding impact to ‘understand the source of flooding for all locations’ and that it is ‘committed’ to managing the flood risk in the area.
It has also said that it will continue to invest in the ‘successful operation and resilience’ of Black Sluice lock.
The EA also says that its teams are out on the ground to operate flood defences and says the area is seeing the impacts of climate change.
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