Coming Together for Flood Prevention
Greening Tetbury members, Emma Weitkamp and Fergus Dignan joined Malmesbury Flood Management’s Wildlife Group to walk the Tetbury Avon tributary from Westonbirt and discuss possible action. Areas were identified where natural flood management measures could be implemented. They also Have Your Say About Our Rivers on 23 September. This consultation meeting was held in Malmesbury to discuss the future, pollution challenges, and conservation of Malmesbury's river systems.
Fergus and Emma share their findings and updates on the two meetings and how we can all do our bit to create a more sustainable community.
The talk focused on using "citizen power" and natural solutions to tackle pollution and improve water conservation, although it was mainly about pollution rather than flooding.
Pollution
Pre-Brexit, testing of rivers was annual. Now it is every 3 years!
The main pollutants found in rivers are PHOSPHATES and NITRATES.
Phosphates- mainly from sewage.
Nitrates- mainly from agriculture Eutrophication, algal growth is stimulated by these pollutants road run-off is a major cause of pollution in rivers - oil, chemicals and tyre rubber being the main culprits and includes PFOS – forever chemicals.
E.Coli
There are lots of species of E.Coli that get into rivers. The only dangerous one is C157. Treatment plants can use phosphate strippers to remove phosphates
What you can do in the community to reduce pollution?
Water and sewage from our houses has to go somewhere. To filter, reduce or slow its flow into the river systems we can install systems like
Driveway conversion to gravel from concrete
Flooding
We need to show landowners that it is in their interest to provide natural solutions.
Water meadows- there are grants for carbon capture.
Altering the land topography.
Tree planting- leaves stop 20% of the rain and then it evaporates back up.
3 major reservoirs are planned for the UK, but won’t be in place until 2035.
This film illustrates the effects of flooding and features Oxfordshire farms that have introduced natural flood management (and created wildlife habitats in the process).
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