Back to the drawing board for River Brue dredging plans
A decision hasn't been made
Plans to dredge a key Somerset river are back on the drawing board after different public bodies failed to agree on a scheme.
The Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) has been working with the Environment Agency (EA) and the Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board (IDB) on plans to improve the River Brue.
A scheme has been repeatedly delayed since 2015, despite all sides agreeing that a dredge is necessary to prevent flooding on that section of the Somerset Levels and Moors.
The IDB has now handed back £279,000 to the SRA, which has ringfenced that sum for future use on the Brue.
The River Brue begins in Brewham near Bruton and flows over the Levels via Glastonbury before reaching the sea at Highbridge.
Rob Kidson and Iain Sturdy from Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium delivered the bad news regarding the scheme at an SRA board meeting held virtually on July 23.
They said in their written report: “There are many sensitivities around working on the Brue, including flood risk, protected species, agricultural practices, water quality, and environmental land management scheme opportunities.
“We acknowledged the legislative constraints that would be applicable and considered the evidence base that would be required in order to develop a legally compliant capital dredging project.
“It was recognised that producing the evidence would be time-consuming and costly, particularly in respect of flow modelling.
“The EA is not in a position to change its current maintenance procedures on the Brue, due to resource implications and other maintenance priorities.”
Messrs Kidson and Sturdy said they remained supportive of dredging the river, but said “alternative options” needed to be investigated.
They added: “Our members are strongly of the view that river dredging and maintenance is required on the Brue.
“However, having worked closely with partners and regulators over a number of years, we see little prospect of successfully delivering a dredge given the sensitivities and complexities of working on the River Brue.”
The SRA had previously budgeted £279,000 for the IDB to deliver works on the Brue.
At the most recent SRA Board meeting, that money was now ringfenced for works on the Brue, and SRA officers are now working on finding ways forward with a new scheme and delivery partner.