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Two miles of dredging completed on Somerset Levels

The Environment Agency says it's now completed dredging along more than two miles of river on the Somerset Levels.

Silt is being scooped out from the River Parrett near Moorland and the River Tone near Burrow Mump. The work is due to continue until October.

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Two miles of dredging completed on Somerset Levels

The Environment Agency says it's now completed dredging along more than two miles of river on the Somerset Levels.

Silt is being scooped out from the River Parrett near Moorland and the River Tone near Burrow Mump. The work is due to continue until October.

It's hoped the dredging will improve drainage and help avoid a repeat of last winter's devastating floods.

We continue to work on the River Parrett between Westonzoyland Pumping Station and Raymonds Farm, and further upstream between Home Farm and Fenners Cottage along Riverside in Burrowbridge.

On the opposite bank of the River Parrett we are working between Millbrook Farm and Coates Farm.

On the Tone we continue to dredge between Stanmoor Bridge and Brooks Farm with 2 excavators and waterbased floating plant. Altogether we have 7 gangs working.

We have dredged a length of 3.5 km of river (7 km of total river bank length) on the Parrett and Tone. We’ve removed approximately 73,000m³ of silt and remain on programme to complete work by the end of October.

– Paul Gainey, Environment Agency

Dredging begins again after power cable accident

A dredger left idle at Riverside near Burrowbridge Credit: ITV News West Country

Dredging on one part of the Somerset levels has just started again after being put on hold when a digger hit an overhead power cable.

It happened on Saturday at Riverside near Burrowbridge. No one was hurt.

The Environment Agency says dredging was stopped while it reviewed working methods.

Other teams working on the Rivers Parrett and Tone were not affected.

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Environment Minister claims dredging still on track

On day one of the Bath and West Show the impact of the exceptionally wet winter on the farming community has been a major talking point.

The Floods Minister Dan Rogerson has responded to criticism that the dredging operation to clear the River Parrett is running behind schedule, and this afternoon the Duchess of Cornwall met with Somerset flooding victims to hear how they're recovering. Bob Cruwys reports

Environment Agency statement on dredging

The Environment Agency has issued an update on the current dredging situation, after it was revealed that the works on the Somerset Levels are well behind schedule.

We continue to dredge downstream on both sides of the River Parrett. We have so far removed about 13,050m³ of silt over a 445 metre length. Land and Water Services continue to work long days from Monday to Friday and we are looking at the possibility of some weekend working as a further contingency.

We held flood surgeries in North Newton and Kingsbury Episcopi for those residents living in the Northmoor, Chadmead, Thorney and Newton areas. You will have seen us cutting the grass and vegetation around the river to prepare for dredging.

We will start dredging with a long arm excavator on the River Tone this week. We will start on the left bank between Cuts Road and Creeds Farm. Dredging will continue downstream of Moorland House Farm on both banks of the River Parrett.

Over the next couple of weeks:

Dredging will continue downstream of Moorland House Farm on both banks of the River Parrett. We will have to work around a section of mature trees to minimise potential damage.

We will be moving into our main compound at Gillards in Burrowbridge.

We will be preparing to start work on the River Tone by the end of May.

We are confident that the work will be completed in the time-frame originally outlined barring any adverse weather. The health and safety of the people doing the work is of paramount importance to us and there welfare and wellbeing must always be taken into consideration.

– Environment Agency spokesperson
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