Sheffield floods: Steel Valley Project to start work to make homes safer using 'leaky dams'

Concerns were raised across the city, as river levels rose to the point that that the Environment Agency issued several flood warnings on Monday, on the back of two major storms.

Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium saw waters encoaching as the nearby River Loxley swelled to unusually high levels as a result of the sheer amount of rainfall.

On the other side of the city, waters rose near Meadowhall, and Tinsley’s tram-train service was stopped for several days because of flooding between Sheffield and Rotherham, where the main railway station was closed because the tracks were under water.

But now residents in one part of the city are getting ready to start on a scheme which aims to use nature to keep their homes safe from high waters.

Work is set to start in the next few weeks to reduce flood risks in Stocksbridge – and if it is a success it could be replicated in other parts of the city, and even across the UK.

Stocksbridge-based countryside management charity the Steel Valley Project says it is starting work on a scheme which its members believe will slow down water and reduce the risk of people’s homes ending up under water.

The date for work to start is not yet finalised – but with it planned for this year, organisers now say it will be in the next few weeks.

When the charity gets started on the scheme, a natural flood management project will be carried out, using what the team behind it describe as ‘leaky dams’ and trees.

Tom Newman, one of the team of workers at the charity, said: “Following the passage of recent storms Eunice and Franklin, the residents of Stocksbridge and the surrounding area have once again been faced with damage caused by flooding. Since the severe flooding in 2007 there have been many more flood events, each with a cost to people’s homes and livelihoods, leaving residents calling for meaningful improvements aimed at mitigating the risks.

“The project will work across the Upper Don catchment, with a focus on the steep valleys that feed into the Don River. Some of the sites included in the work are Wharncliffe Heath, Bitholmes Wood and Glen Howe Park."

Teams of volunteers and local landowners will help with the work, which will see the installation of over 50 ‘leaky dams’, six new ponds and the planting of 7,500 native trees across 12 carefully selected sites.

Each of the measures is aimed at slowing the flow of water during heavy rainfall and reducing the risk of flooding.

Mr Newman said: “The curiously named ‘leaky dam’ is a way of replicating the natural process whereby trees fall across a river and impede the flow of water.

"The project will replicate this by inserting large sections of tree trunk or branches across a stream; smaller sticks and leaves then gather behind the larger sections which allow some water through but also hold some back when the stream is flooding.

"This helps to slow down the movement of water, silt and sediment downstream which decreases the risk of flooding and also creates a wetter habitat in the immediate woodland area.”

The idea is that the work will slow down the progress of water flowing through the steep valleys that feed into the River Don, but Mr Newman says there will be multiple other benefits for the local area.

"One of the primary benefits of the work will be increased protection of homes and business from flooding,” he added. “There may also be a boost to visitor numbers and strengthening of the local housing market.”

The charity expects there will be further environmental benefits such as encouraging wildlife and increasing the water quality due to the sediment trapped by the dams. Officials also expect the project will compliment work previously carried out by the organisation in New Hall Wood, which used natural flood management measures to provide habitat for the under-threat willow tit.

This natural flood management project has been put together in partnership with the Environment Agency. If the aims of the project are successful, then similar schemes may be rolled out across other areas of the country, adding to national efforts to mitigate flood risks.

The Steel Valley Project is also developing a second flood management project along the Little Don River. Currently in the feasibility stage, this project would add rocks and trees to modify the river channel and reconnect part of the river to its historical flood plain. If it were to go ahead this would further reduce the risk of severe local flooding, as well as increasing the biodiversity and amenity value of the Little Don Link trail.

Meanwhile, the charity is appealing for volunteers to come forward to help, having seen a dip in volunteer numbers joining its ranks during the coronavirus pandemic.

You can volunteer on its website, www.steelvalleyproject.org/volunteering.

The Steel Valley Project in Stocksbridge was formed in 1988 and delivers environmental, community and countryside projects in the area.

It is a registered charity which works towards improving the environment in the Stocksbridge area.

This includes trying to manage habitats for the benefit of wildlife, people, heritage and landscape; encouraging access to open green space and the wider countryside; and providing environmental education and interpretation to local schools and residents.

The organisation also provides support, advice, training and supervision to volunteers, trainees and community groups in countryside management and conservation skills by working on real local environmental projects.

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