The new flood storage area will better protect 490
vulnerable homes between Strensall and The Groves area of
York from flooding. This scheme, in the rural area 2km
north of Strensall, will also reduce flood risk to key
transport routes and result in benefits to the
environment including tree planting, wetland creation and
improvements to river bank habitat.
The purpose of the storage area is to help reduce peak
flows in the river, therefore reducing flooding
downstream. During heavy rain, the structure fills with
water, temporarily holding back flood water and reducing
the flood risk to properties along the Foss Corridor,
towards York city centre. Once the flood has passed the
water in the storage area will subside. For the vast
majority of time the structure will not need to be used
in this way which means that farming practices will be
able to continue in the area.
Project manager Richard Lever, from the Environment
Agency, said:
These areas are not like reservoirs and do not store
water permanently. They are designed to be dry in
normal weather conditions and only fill up for short
periods during large flood events.
Unlike other physical flood defences, a flood storage
area can be built at some distance from the communities
they protect and therefore have less impact than
building formal defences.
During a flood event, the level of the River Foss can
rise rapidly exposing properties, roads and land to the
risk of severe flooding. This is likely to increase with
more extreme weather conditions predicted due to climate
change. Currently there are no flood defences along the
Foss Corridor and a flood storage area is the only viable
option.
Out of all the projects included in the Yorks Flood
Alleviation Scheme, this proposal will deliver the
largest benefits in terms of numbers of properties
protected.
Mr Lever said:
As well as reducing flood risk, the storage area will
also have environmental benefits. This scheme will
facilitate the growth of valuable wetland habitat,
create space for local wildlife and help improve water
quality downstream.
Materials for building the embankment for the storage
area will be taken from within the site, creating pits
which fill with water and act as permanent shallow
ponds.
Discussions about the proposals have been held at parish
council meetings, public events and with landowners,
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the Foss Internal Drainage
Board and Natural England.
The planning application for the flood storage area will
also need to be approved by Ryedale District Council as
it falls with the boundary of both councils.
Following the severe flooding in York in Dec 2015, where
over 600 properties were flooded, central Government
committed £45m to fund projects to better protect
properties in the city.
Environment Agency flood schemes protected almost 130,000
properties during the winter 2019/20 flooding, even
though water levels were higher in some places than the
floods of 2007 when 55,000 properties flooded.
Since 2015, the Government has invested £496m flood
defences in Yorkshire – more than any other region –
better protecting more than 66,000 properties
For more information about York’s Flood Alleviation
Scheme visit
Make sure you are prepared for a flood event and find out
if you are at risk visit
