Lowdham has been flooded several times over the last fourteen years.
The aim of the group is to support villagers in becoming more resilient to flooding, develop an improved early warning system, and support villagers when flooding occurs.
The Environment Agency says that the village of Lowdham is currently the focus of two Environment Agency projects.
One falls under recovery work from recent flood events and involves reinstatement of a flood embankment to its designed level.
The other is referred to as a capital project and is focused on flood storage options upstream of Lowdham.
Lowdham is a village to the East of Nottingham with a population of over 3000 people. Through the centre of Lowdham runs the Environment Agency managed section of the Cocker Beck that flows as a tributary of the much larger River Trent.
The village has a history of flooding as a result of extreme rainfall events falling over the large catchment area of 12km2.
Pinch points in the channel through the village can constrict the flow of water during high river levels which causes the river to spill out of bank causing fluvial (river) flooding of local infrastructure and surrounding properties.
This fluvial flooding has previously combined with the surface water system being overwhelmed which adds to the amount of water in the system that increases flood risk.
The village green (football and cricket pitches) in the centre of the village are used as a flood storage area. This storage area that was constructed after a large flood event in 1999 can still be overwhelmed in extreme flood events. A brief summary of previous flood events in the village;
Feb 2020 – over 95 properties. Surface Water & Fluvial. Disruption to roads and transport links.
Nov 2019 – 12 properties flooded – Surface Water & Fluvial.
June 2019 – 2 properties flooded – Surface Water & Fluvial.
July 2013 – ~70 properties flooded – primarily Surface Water, some Fluvial.
Nov 2012 – Surface Water & Fluvial.
June 2007 – 150 properties flooded – largely fluvial
1999 – 300 properties affected – Fluvial. Disruption to roads and transport links.
