Annas Catchment Working Group

Annas catchment Working Group

Background:

Bootle village has a history of flooding. Most recently it suffered a summer flood event in August 2016. Not only did this flood 12 residential properties, it cut off the main road down the west coast (A595) and affected many of the local services the rural area relies on.

The Environment Agency carried out an initial assessment to determine if there was scope for a formal flood defence structure in Bootle village but found it was not feasible at the present time.

A working group has been set up to look at a partnership approach to reduce flood risk to the village mainly using natural flood management measures. The group will also aim to improve the condition of the Annas catchment.

The working group:

West Cumbria Rivers Trust (Chair)
Environment Agency
Cumbria County Council
Copeland Borough Council
Bootle Parish Council/Community Representative
Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Farmer Network

What’s happened so far?

The working group developed a natural flood management project. The initial scoping of opportunities was funded by local levy funding and by the Woodland Trust. The Parish Council completed gravel management works in the village in summer 2018 to increase capacity of the river underneath bridges.

The NFM project received funding from the DEFRA NFM programme and Orsted via the Walney Extension Community Fund. Between 2019 and 2021, five water storage areas, 66 leaky dams, 4 Ha woodland, two ponds and riparian fencing was installed.

The Catchment Partnership currently does not have funding to continue working in the Annas catchment. Opportunities to use other funding streams will be explored. Cumbria County Council have works to improve infrastructure to reduce flood risk in their delivery programme for 2024.