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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

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