East Anglia Press Releases for the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads with Press Releases and Articles from the Broads Authority in East Anglia, and the East of England UK.

The Broads Authority has started dredging South Walsham Fleet Dyke as part of its winter dredging programme.

A total of 20,000 cu m is to be taken out of the dyke over the next few months which will ensure the dyke is 2m deep at an average low tide. The mud is currently being deposited 4 kms downriver at Thurne Mouth, and the Broads Authority is working with the Environment Agency to also use local areas.

Dredgers are also currently removing silt between Ludham Bridge and Ant Mouth to a depth of 1.8 m deep at an average low tide and the dredgings deposited on an adjacent bank.

In September dredging on Surlingham Bends on the River Yare was completed ahead of schedule. The dredgings, which were contaminated with mercury, were taken to a new cell which had been created at Postwick Tip over the summer. Due to the early completion of the work dredging began ahead of schedule in October on the River Bure at St Benetís Abbey where shoals were removed.

The dredging of Haddiscoe Cut, between Reedham and St Olaves, will enter its second phase between January and March.

Trudi Wakelin, Director of Waterways, said:

"We are progressing well with our dredging schedule and expect that boat owners will notice a significant improvement on rivers in the Thurne Mouth area this summer. A recent study by Cranfield University shows that we are taking out significantly more sediment than is coming into the system, despite a steep increase in costs, so we are making steady progress."

"By working in partnership with the Environment Agency and their contractors, BESL, we are also able to use dredgings within the flood defence work, in creating new rond areas near dredging projects, which helps to keep costs down as well as being more sustainable."

The Broads Authority is spending a record amount on dredging this year, using £1/4 million of National Park Grant for this purpose as well as £400,000 from toll payers. Next year the total expenditure on dredging and disposal is likely to rise by a further £101,000 to an unprecedented £750,000.

Reproduced by kind permission of Broads Authority.