River levels

Vader

Member
Mixed Farmer
As I trying to get some flooding issues resolved.
Just thought I would check here...

If you dredge 2 foot out of a river bottom, then you gain 2 foot water level during heavy rains before the river goes over the bank?

Or am i missing something??
Just work been done to raise river sides and defences on parts of river near here.
Surely easier to just drop the river level?
Plus in time the river sits up more so have to raise defences again.
In theory in time you could end up with river higher than surrounding fields been help in by flood defences....

Also dropping river level helps drains and soil through flow to dry out the land more so it can soak up more rain.
Higher rivers means the land on the flood plain is like I sponge thats always wet, instead of a dry 1 waiting to soak up heavy rain....

Or am I missing something??
 

Gedd

Member
Livestock Farmer
As I trying to get some flooding issues resolved.
Just thought I would check here...

If you dredge 2 foot out of a river bottom, then you gain 2 foot water level during heavy rains before the river goes over the bank?

Or am i missing something??
Just work been done to raise river sides and defences on parts of river near here.
Surely easier to just drop the river level?
Plus in time the river sits up more so have to raise defences again.
In theory in time you could end up with river higher than surrounding fields been help in by flood defences....

Also dropping river level helps drains and soil through flow to dry out the land more so it can soak up more rain.
Higher rivers means the land on the flood plain is like I sponge thats always wet, instead of a dry 1 waiting to soak up heavy rain....

Or am I missing something??
Thats too much like commen sense for the educated
 

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
As I trying to get some flooding issues resolved.
Just thought I would check here...

If you dredge 2 foot out of a river bottom, then you gain 2 foot water level during heavy rains before the river goes over the bank?

Or am i missing something??
Just work been done to raise river sides and defences on parts of river near here.
Surely easier to just drop the river level?
Plus in time the river sits up more so have to raise defences again.
In theory in time you could end up with river higher than surrounding fields been help in by flood defences....

Also dropping river level helps drains and soil through flow to dry out the land more so it can soak up more rain.
Higher rivers means the land on the flood plain is like I sponge thats always wet, instead of a dry 1 waiting to soak up heavy rain....

Or am I missing something??
Old flood banks set back 50metres from the river have piped return valves so water can drain back when the river level drops . River beds around here are compacted gravel which is as hard rock and would be stupid to dredge, far better to clear trees and improve flow while digging surrounding ditches deeper to help hold water at peak floods imo
 
I think you've got it spot on. But if you dredge the bottom you have to far enough down stream to get the fall and that may not be possible.
This is often the case. One of the most satisfying projects that I have undertaken in my farming career was cleaning/dredging three quarters of a mile of a substantial brook/small river. The thing that stopped it being truly effective was a d!psh#t neighbour flatly refusing access onto his ground, for the digger to do the last 250 yards before the main river.:banghead:
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
This is often the case. One of the most satisfying projects that I have undertaken in my farming career was cleaning/dredging three quarters of a mile of a substantial brook/small river. The thing that stopped it being truly effective was a d!psh#t neighbour flatly refusing access onto his ground, for the digger to do the last 250 yards before the main river.:banghead:
the angry emoji was for your neighbour by the way
 
Some years ago a non farming person bought a very wet riverside field and had the river dredged. He wouldn't have been entitled to as the local estate still owned the riverbank and held the riparian rights. He didn't realise that within 100 yards, the river went over a weir and it was that that was controlling the water level. All that was gained was an extra bit of river capacity. When that filled up the situation was as before.
 
Or when rain is forecast how about open all the lock gates , drop the rivers by a foot so there is capacity when it does rain ?


You know it's common sense like this which is dangerous .. FFS the EA ought to get fined & their pensions raided when there is flooding.

Maybe then they might actually do something worthwhile.

I'd also suggest looking at using the Canal network and pumps to divert some flow in heavy rain. It's all doable but it requires putting infrastructure above Green Politics wages, pensions, "Charity", "Rewilding" & bonuses.
 
Some years ago a non farming person bought a very wet riverside field and had the river dredged. He wouldn't have been entitled to as the local estate still owned the riverbank and held the riparian rights. He didn't realise that within 100 yards, the river went over a weir and it was that that was controlling the water level. All that was gained was an extra bit of river capacity. When that filled up the situation was as before.

Surely though a weir has the effect of collecting sediment and dredging this section would still be beneficial?
 
This is often the case. One of the most satisfying projects that I have undertaken in my farming career was cleaning/dredging three quarters of a mile of a substantial brook/small river. The thing that stopped it being truly effective was a d!psh#t neighbour flatly refusing access onto his ground, for the digger to do the last 250 yards before the main river.:banghead:
he cannot stop the water though
we have same
been waiting 3 years now for them to clear maybe 100 m but trees have to come out near main road side to gain access to blocked ditch in their wood
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
in the good old days, rivers and dykes were kept clean, on the dykes, sediment was incorporated into the protective bank. In their infinite wisdom, the authorities decided that sediment was 'industrial waste', and had to be 'disposed' of, plenty of farmers will take it ! This was after they had decided, dredging was unnecessary, it didn't work, quite true, that was down to their previous brilliant idea, just scrape out the bottom, and return the silt, water current would take it away ...............................................
 

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