Jackson wraps up Ouse Washes flood scheme

Jackson has completed work on a multi-million pound project to raise a 30km flood bank on the Ouse Washes Flood Storage Reservoir.

Following 6 years of construction, the project maintains the standard of flood protection to more than 2,000 properties and 67,000ha of agricultural land.

The raising of the bank on the vitally-important reservoir was carried out between 2017 and this year.

As the Washes are an internationally-important habitat, construction work was carried out during summer and early autumn each year to avoid disturbing breeding and over-wintering birds.

Nicola Oldfield, a project executive for the Environment Agency, said: “This has been a vital long-term investment and refurbishment programme. The results of this work will help to protect thousands of homes and businesses in the area for years to come.”

According to the Environment Agency, the total cost for this project was around £40 million.

Between 2015 and 2020, the EA invested more than £1 billion on maintaining flood and coastal defences nationally. This included investing in developing technology and direct maintenance work such as dredging, inspecting assets, and carrying out repairs.