Flood defence project completed after three years

A £2.1m flood protection scheme that began in 2021 has now been completed.

The natural flood management scheme in County Durham was developed to protect communities in Upper Weardale from flooding.

Twenty-five features were constructed in the area to hold water back during times of heavy rainfall.

Laura Parsons, a project manager at the Environment Agency, said the scheme also provided benefits to "climate regulation, wildlife and water quality".

"This area has a long history of flooding from the hills into the valley and the local community and landowners have been pivotal in helping us understand where the features can be best placed to provide the greatest benefits to reduce flood risk," she said.

The features reduce the risk of flooding in areas such as Lanehead, Wearhead, Westgate and Stanhope and can hold back about 10,000m³ of water.

The project also involved restoring 150 hectares (370 acres) of peatland to improve local habitats.

Features of the defences include 13 leaky dams and four timber fences which were built across Killhope Burn.

Three timber barriers were constructed in Middlehope Burn, along with four storage areas designed to hold back water during heavy rain.

Many of the features were built by farmers and landowners.

The project will now be monitored and maintained for the next 10 years by the team at North Pennines National Landscape.

The organisation said it will use the information gained from the Weardale scheme to support future nature based projects.

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