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| Over the top |
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| Flood water rushes over the bund at Cox's Meadow |
Charlton Park hit hard by summer floods
Many Charlton
Park residents experienced flooding on June 25th and July 20th 2007. Some of those severely affected live close to Cox's
Meadow where the Environment Agency have created a balancing pond as part of the River Chelt Flood Alleviation Scheme.
| Under water |
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| Garages at Withyholt Court |
On July 20th 2009 flood water over topped the bund walls sending
fast flowing water into homes on Sandford Mill Rd, College Gate and Keynsham Rd. Homes were flooded to a depth of several
feet withing minutes.
Upstream of the Chelt, the Lilley Brook flooded garages in Withyholt Court in June and July. Houses in Keynshambury
Road were also flooded in June and July.
| The River Chelt |
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| Running through Sandford Park, behind Keynshambury Rd |
The problem for Keynshambury Road residents was that the Environment
Agency built a higher flood wall as part of the original River Chelt Flood Alleviation scheme but left a section of the old
flood wall in place.
The older part of the flood wall was lower than the new one and left properties vulnerable to flooding as the Chelt rises. Not only that but once the flood water flowed over
the old flood wall it travelled between a gap in the houses, carried on its way but can't get out due to the increased
height of the new flood wall further down.
The experience of those flooded was horrendous and residents were
left understandably extremely anxious when there is heavy rain. In the months that followed the summer floods
Keynshambury Road residents lobied the Environment Agency to come back and finish the job properly. They were listened to
by the EA and the flood wall was reconstructed to help prevent flooding in the future.
I was pleased to be able
to support residents in achieving this very necessary work.
| The Trash Screen at Cox's Meadow |
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| Click the picture to enlarge |
River
Chelt Flood Alleviation Scheme In October 2008 I joined local residents and other councillors in a walk from Cox’s
Meadow to the Municipal Offices to hear how the Environment Agency plans to improve the River Chelt Flood Scheme.
At that time we were told that the EA planned to install a butterfly valve on the drawoff tower at Dowdswell Reservoir
to restrict the amount of water in a flood event. We were told that this would improve the flood risk to homes in
College and Charlton Park as the amount of water entering the Chelt during a flood event will be controlled.
However, it was with great disappointment that I learned in November 2009
that even though the EA had bought this butterfly valve they were no longer planning to install it.
Link to a slide show of photos from the flood on flickr
| Flooded basement in Cheltenham |
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| Click to enlarge |
Post 2007 flood events review of the Cheltenham Flood Alleviation Scheme
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