Surfleet Reservoir Community Engagement

Surfleet Reservoir is located on River Glen northeast of Spalding, Lincolnshire. The Environment Agency operate and maintain Surfleet Sluice to manage flood risk and maintain water levels for Navigation.

The River Glen is a tributary of the River Welland which, prior to the 18th century, was tidal in nature with the river level rising and falling naturally with the high and low tide. In 1739, a sluice was built near where the Glen flows into the Welland with the aim of stopping that tidal process. By constructing a sluice, the flow of water could be controlled, and in addition, a reservoir was created inland. The reservoir historically stored water which was used to flush silt through the sluice into the tidal river. This is the area now called Surfleet Reservoir. With the creation of a picturesque setting, over time chalets were put in place as holiday homes (see above image). Subsequently, most of these have become permanent residential homes.

Climate change is high on the agenda today, none more so than for the fenland and coastal areas of South Holland. It is vital to understand that this risk is reality right now, evident in the extreme weather the county has seen over the last decade. More intense rainfall is happening more frequently:  Lincolnshire's current average monthly rainfall total is around 60mm.

As well as the risk of extreme weather, we are also seeing the impacts of rising sea levels. The mean sea level around the UK has risen by approximately 1.5 mm per year since the start of the 20th century and this amount is now increasing exponentially. In the last 15 years alone, the rate of sea level rise has increased and now exceeds 3 mm per year. Looking more locally along the east coast, over the last 50 years the recorded rise at Immingham is approximately 100mm and 150mm at Cromer.

But what does this mean for our flood risk structures and Surfleet? Increasing extreme rainfall means that our rivers are seeing more frequent, higher water levels. The drainage systems of the www.gov.uk/environment-agency fens were not designed for this extreme weather and are increasingly likely to be overwhelmed or damaged. For tidal defences, the threat is from over-topping by the sea.

Tide lock is already occurring at Surfleet Sluice more frequently. During Winter 2023/2024 the sluice was tide locked on many high tides. Our changing climate means both river flows and sea levels are rising. The chance of high flows and high tides coinciding increases. Therefore, the likelihood of property flooding significantly increases too. Whilst we continue to operate the sluice to mitigate that risk, this cannot be the long-term solution. To maintain the current level of protection would require a multimillion-pound project to replace the sluice and raise all embankments in the area, only to do so again in 50 years. This is a challenging, sensitive, and emotive issue for those living in Surfleet Reservoir, and one we will be working with local partners and the community on to understand the long-term plan for the area.