Date revealed for completion of Mytholmroyd flood alleviation work

Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot) told the full meeting of Calderdale Council that work continued apace at the Mytholmroyd scheme, which began in spring 2018.

At last week’s ward forum the Environment Agency had indicated they would be finishing the work by the end of this year, he said.

And flood wardens reported on the Calder Valley Flood Support Facebook page that a potentially serious weather incident in late August had shown the more complete works making an important difference.

One said rain had led to the River Calder rising to potential flooding ranges but this time it was evidence something was different, with water passing into the second channel created for the first time.

As a result the river did not reach trigger levels, reducing risk to the village which has been serverely hit by flooding, including on Boxing Day 2015 and in February this year.

Paul Swales, senior flood risk advisor for the Environment Agency, said the ongoing cCoronavirus pandemic has had an impact on the construction of Mytholmroyd flood defences with work having to slow or pause because in some aspects of the scheme social distancing had to be maintained.

In other cases, work slowed because supplies were unavailable.

“However, the project team has worked hard to ensure the project has continued to move forward during these unprecedented times and taken advantage of the dry weather conditions.

“We now expect the project to be completed towards the end of this calendar year, however this is still dependant on favourable weather conditions and provided that we have no other unexpected circumstances,” he said.

Mr Swales said many sections of the new flood defences have now been completed or are nearing completion including the new bridge, which has an area beneath it that is twice the size of the former bridge, to help better protect nearly 400 homes and businesses in the future.

“The old Caldene bridge was a major constriction to the flow of the river, and now we have widened the river channel at Calder Grove and downstream, this will significantly help reduce flood risk in the village,” he said.

The Environment Agency has also announced reparatory works are starting this month in Hebden Bridge to help inform the design and construction of the flood defence scheme to better protect homes and businesses.

These include ground investigations, culvert surveys, minor works in river channels and diverting utility services ready for raising flood barrier defences in the future.

The Hebden Bridge scheme will consist of raising and strengthening river walls, using glass panels and raising barriers to minimise any intrusion on river views, improving protection to riverside properties, installing a canal overflow, and improving the drainage of surface water with a series of gully systems and pumping stations.

This work will include constructing flood defences along the River Calder and Hebden Water, installing surface water management systems and pumping stations, and installation of a canal overflow at Hebden Bridge Adult Learning Centre.