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How will the water levels around Molember be affected if the gates are removed?
The sluice gates are ageing assets and we are considering all options for the future management of flood risk at this location and within the Flood Alleviation Scheme as a whole. Please see the option pages for details about how each option may effect water levels.
Will the water level be more consistent once the works are completed?
Currently water level varies as a result of changes to river flows and the way that the sluice gates are operated.
The majority of the changes in the water levels along the scheme happen following rainfall or longer spells of dry weather. We also reduce the level of water if we are carrying out certain types of maintenance or survey work. For example, when we need to inspect parts of the sluices that are normally under water.
The gates are manually controlled by Environment Agency staff at each structure to ensure river levels are kept low enough not to increase flood risk. This can lead to some variability in water levels.
If the gates were to be removed the water level is likely to become more variable as the gates are currently operated to maintain a target level upstream of each structure.
Will removing the sluice gates mean replacing a beautiful river and replace it with muddy banks and a stream?
The Lower Mole Flood Alleviation Scheme was primarily designed to protect property from flooding and did not consider ways for biodiversity and wildlife to flourish along the channel.
Whilst it now contains a variety of species, it does not have much variability in habitat, therefore the species diversity is quite low. With modern techniques we could create a scheme that still provides property protection and restores natural river function allowing a more diverse habitat for wildlife.
The current river channel could be considered as a slow flowing 'canal' of deep water with a limited diversity in flora and fauna. A natural meandering channel would vary in depth and width throughout due to its generally shallower nature.
Should the option to remove sluice gates be selected, a meandering channel would develop. Any muddy banks exposed in this process would be carefully landscaped and would be vegetated. These areas would be subject to flooding during higher flows to ensure that the standard of protection against flooding is maintained in the future.
If water levels are lowered significantly, what will the Environment Agency do to make visual improvements and conceal exposed concrete?
Opportunities to make visual improvements to the way the scheme looks, including the potential for the use of timber cladding and marginal planting, would be fully explored as the project develops further.
If water levels drop willthat mean less water will be available to dilute the discharge from the sewage treatment works, which will make the channel smell and sewage visible?
With the updated options, water levels will not change between Island Barn Sluice and Viaduct Sluice, where the sewage treatment works is located. Adecrease in water level between Molember Sluice and Island Barn Sluice is unlikely to have a detrimental impact on the water quality as the pollutant loading does not change or significantly alter the hydrology and hydrodynamics of the system.
How will the water levels around Molember be affected if the gates are removed?
The sluice gates are ageing assets and we are considering all options for the future management of flood risk at this location and within the Flood Alleviation Scheme as a whole. Please see the option pages for details about how each option may effect water levels.
Will the water level be more consistent once the works are completed?
Currently water level varies as a result of changes to river flows and the way that the sluice gates are operated.
The majority of the changes in the water levels along the scheme happen following rainfall or longer spells of dry weather. We also reduce the level of water if we are carrying out certain types of maintenance or survey work. For example, when we need to inspect parts of the sluices that are normally under water.
The gates are manually controlled by Environment Agency staff at each structure to ensure river levels are kept low enough not to increase flood risk. This can lead to some variability in water levels.
If the gates were to be removed the water level is likely to become more variable as the gates are currently operated to maintain a target level upstream of each structure.
Will removing the sluice gates mean replacing a beautiful river and replace it with muddy banks and a stream?
The Lower Mole Flood Alleviation Scheme was primarily designed to protect property from flooding and did not consider ways for biodiversity and wildlife to flourish along the channel.
Whilst it now contains a variety of species, it does not have much variability in habitat, therefore the species diversity is quite low. With modern techniques we could create a scheme that still provides property protection and restores natural river function allowing a more diverse habitat for wildlife.
The current river channel could be considered as a slow flowing 'canal' of deep water with a limited diversity in flora and fauna. A natural meandering channel would vary in depth and width throughout due to its generally shallower nature.
Should the option to remove sluice gates be selected, a meandering channel would develop. Any muddy banks exposed in this process would be carefully landscaped and would be vegetated. These areas would be subject to flooding during higher flows to ensure that the standard of protection against flooding is maintained in the future.
If water levels are lowered significantly, what will the Environment Agency do to make visual improvements and conceal exposed concrete?
Opportunities to make visual improvements to the way the scheme looks, including the potential for the use of timber cladding and marginal planting, would be fully explored as the project develops further.
If water levels drop willthat mean less water will be available to dilute the discharge from the sewage treatment works, which will make the channel smell and sewage visible?
With the updated options, water levels will not change between Island Barn Sluice and Viaduct Sluice, where the sewage treatment works is located. Adecrease in water level between Molember Sluice and Island Barn Sluice is unlikely to have a detrimental impact on the water quality as the pollutant loading does not change or significantly alter the hydrology and hydrodynamics of the system.
