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Dredging continues on River Wensum
01 Jan 2002
The second phase of a three-year winter programme to dredge the River Wensum, near Norwich in the UK, has got underway. The Broads Authority says dredging will continue between Bishop's Bridge and Fye Bridge on winter weekdays to minimise disruption to river traffic.
The first phase of the £150,000 programme was completed last winter between Carrow Bridge and Bishop's Bridge, and the final phase will continue upstream to New Mills, the head of navigation in the city, this year. If funds allow, dredging will continue downstream to Trowse Eye, completing the dredging of the Wensum in its entirety.
The project to dredge the Wensum to a depth of 2m at low water is being undertaken by the Broads Authority, with funding from the East of England Development Agency, and the Environment Agency.
Broads Authority Rivers Engineer, Trudi Wright, said: 'Dredging and tidying up the river will bring benefits for navigation, water quality and flood defence. It is also an economic benefit to the city by encouraging more visitors to use the new mooring facilities at Riverside and the river bus.
The whole programme has been planned with the minimum of disruption in mind.'
The River Wensum, which used to have a depth of 3m at low water, has been gradually silting up since the 1970s with the decline of trading coasters to the city. The regular visits of vessels up to 50m long and 3m deep kept the channel clear of silt.
The dredgings are being deposited on a specially prepared and upgraded site at Postwick.
Eventually the site will be landscaped with trees, shrubs and native grasses, proposals for which have been approved by Broadland District Council.
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