A petition demanding the Environment Agency reinstates flood prevention measures in Huntingdonshire has attracted 1,300 signatures within 3 days of launching.
The petition says that the communities in Huntingdonshire that live on or near the Great Ouse river “are now under constant threats of flooding due to inaction by the Environment Agency.
“Every time it rains, we suffer. Schools are flooded and have to shut down, houses are flooded, roads become impassable, and businesses are affected. Some have even been forced to shut down permanently, leading to job losses.
“This devastation is largely preventable if we had adequate river management”.
Link to the petition here:
Here’s the statement issued by the petition organiser Lucy Beadles:
The Environment Agency (EA) has not maintained the Great Ouse river system in decades. Sluice gates designed to manage water levels are in such a poor state of repair that many gates no longer work and block the river flow.
The EA now classify them as Navigation Gates, rather than Flood Gates, justifying a reason to not repair and maintain them.
We, therefore, demand the EA to repair and reinstate these sluice gates immediately and reclassify them as Flood Gates.
Moreover, we call on the Environment Agency to initiate a thorough and environmentally conscious plan for dredging the Great Ouse from Bedford downstream and beyond Earith, including its tributaries.
In recent years, the River Great Ouse has seen increasing amounts of silt build-up, reducing its capacity, and contributing to flooding. Ensuring that our river channels are well-maintained and free of obstruction is crucial to combat flood risks.
The depth of the rivers needs to be increased with the river banks built up with the dredged silt. This will allow the surface water to drain into the river more freely and therefore the land will be able to cope better with rain.
Lastly, we urge the EA to prioritize the removal of debris and overhanging trees on the main channel causing obstruction of the waterways. Fallen trees and debris can block waterways, exacerbating flooding problems.
We need proactive measures, like regular clearing, to keep our waterways flowing freely.
Averting the flood problem requires comprehensive action, especially as we are now seeing some of the highest ever recorded river levels.
Let’s put power behind our plea to the EA and push for real change in our communities flood defences.
So, I urge your support in demanding better from the Environment agency. Please sign this petition.
