What is the Flood Forum?
Burpham is relatively low-lying and built close to the River Wey. It includes a natural flood plain as well as small rivers crossing overground and underground. This means that from time to time we get flooding which needs to be well-managed. Clay Lane, for example, is prone to go under a few inches of water after heavy rain, and blocked gullies can cause problems for householders. Sometimes the roads and pavements take time to drain and hamper movement along thoroughfares.
And this isn’t all. Like many rivers, the Wey sometimes carries small but unwelcome quantities of sewage which have been pumped out by the water companies after heavy rain, making is dangerous for wildlife and river sports. Whilst we look to the water companies and the government to keep these dangers in check, we have had the benefit of a Flood Forum of companies and organisations, and chaired by the local MP to be answerable to Burpham Residents. We are awaiting a decision by our new MP about how this will be handled in future.
Finally, there is a plan afoot for flood defences to be built in the centre of Guildford. The BCA is involved in feeding back our concerns that the bankside town defences do not send fast funnelled water speeding towards us and thus pass on the destructive power of floodwater in our direction. We are also interested in what can be done to slow down floodwater before they reach Guildford. This work is ongoing.
And this isn’t all. Like many rivers, the Wey sometimes carries small but unwelcome quantities of sewage which have been pumped out by the water companies after heavy rain, making is dangerous for wildlife and river sports. Whilst we look to the water companies and the government to keep these dangers in check, we have had the benefit of a Flood Forum of companies and organisations, and chaired by the local MP to be answerable to Burpham Residents. We are awaiting a decision by our new MP about how this will be handled in future.
Finally, there is a plan afoot for flood defences to be built in the centre of Guildford. The BCA is involved in feeding back our concerns that the bankside town defences do not send fast funnelled water speeding towards us and thus pass on the destructive power of floodwater in our direction. We are also interested in what can be done to slow down floodwater before they reach Guildford. This work is ongoing.
