DEFENCES which protected almost 2,000 properties in Stainforth from flooding last summer have been strengthened under an £800,000 project.
The wall at Stainforth protects against a one in 100-year flood and are estimated to have saved 1,935 properties in the West Bank area and across Stainforth from flooding last June. Since April, Environment Agency contractors have been reinforcing th
e barrier with steel sheet piles and the scheme has required the diversion of electricity and telephone cables, including overhead lines along the route of the flood wall.
Contractors have installed steel piles - to a height of just over two metres, the same height as the existing flood wall - along almost 300m of the length of the wall.
The brick wall, which was built more than 60 years ago, was inspected by engineers after last June's floods and will be removed during the next 12 months. The piles are expected to stay in place to protect homes for another six decades.
"The flood wall at Stainforth was built many years ago and was tested by the floods last summer," said Project Manager Anthony Myatt.
"The reinforcements should help to reduce the risk of flooding to homes for decades to come." When the River Don breached its banks last June the floodwaters came within a foot of the top of the Stainforth defences.
Reinforcing the ageing flood wall had been planned for some time and preparatory work began last December, when 390 one-tonne stone-filled sandbags were placed behind the old wall to help to support it until the latest work could start. Contractors Jackson Civil Engineering expect to finish this stage of the project this month.
Further work is due to start in September to replace more of the flood wall.
This work is expected to last 12 months.
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