Five angling platforms were commissioned by the Environment Agency on Penton Hook Island near to Stains. The EA, Land & Water and a local angling group; the Thames Angling Conservancy (TAC) closely liaised with one another during the design stages to ensure that the platforms would both be functional but also practical to install bearing in mind that there is no access for plant onto the island.

Each platform varied in size but all were constructed to a design level that enabled them to be available for use during times of flooding.  Land & Water worked out of Penton Hook Marina to the south of the island and boated materials and equipment across to the island. 

The vertical bearers consisted of FSC/PEFC Oak with the completing fit out consisting of FSC/PEFC treated softwood. The decking came to site with anti slip inserts and kick boards completed the platform.  Steps were constructed to link up with previous built access.  The platforms were handed over to the angling community with positive acclaim For more information follow link.

Dredging project for the Environment Agency comprising 6 zones split into 2 case studies: See part I.

Site 4 – Roundabout Sewer—Japanese knotweed was present on this section which was covered by some 200m of Terram to prevent cross contamination.  Asbestos was also found requiring specialist sub-contractors to be employed.  Access was from a very narrow bank which had edge protection applied to prevent slippage and provide a safety barrier.  A 6t mini excavator was used, loading into a 6t dumper running along the 800m stretch.

Site 5 – Portlane Brook—Much of Portlane Brook was inaccessible from the banks so a bobcat was mobilised into the channel deploying a Terram base to run on as it moved along removing silt and vegetation from the brook to allow free flow of water.  Dewatering the area whilst it worked was achieved by over pumping.  A mini dump truck ran along the channel taking excavated material to the loading point.  One tree had to be removed and steel plates were laid on the verge to allow wagon access and mobilisation.  Strict traffic management was required to ensure safe operations during the works.

Site 6 – Broxbourne Mill—The mill pool was severely clogged with silt so using Land & Waters bespoke  ‘Smalley’ dredger the silt was removed from the channel and loaded into hoppers within the channel.   In some areas bank revetments were undertaken by driving 1.5m treated timber posts to protect reeds. 

Learn more about Land & Water’s Dredging capabilities

The existing channel at Ashley Avenue was taking urban run off from the local housing and trading estates along with the nearby South Downs, which was prone to flash flooding. The Environment Agency secured the services of Land & Water to upgrade a culverted section which ran through a residential area.

Access to these works was extremely difficult and severely restricted by narrow channel widths. The design was to create a two stage channel the first being a lower deep channel to accommodate mean flow rates the second or upper channel to be wider to take high water flows and increase the channels capacity in flood events.

Land & Water Services were approached to clear several water courses and bank margins varying from very small inaccessible streams to margins adjacent to farmland in order to promote fast flows and prevent flooding given normal annual rainfall. 

The works carried out in the Yalding region were split into 2 activities, namely flailing of bankside margins with a tractor mounted side arm flail and cutting back vegetation in more inaccessible water courses with chain saws, hedge cutters and strimmers utilising a 3 man team. 

The Land & Water gangs worked from August through to December and accumulated some 1190 man hours of hand held vegetation clearance and 176 hours mechanical using the Tractor and flail.

The Environment Agency, Canterbury depot requested that Land & Water Services, under the held term framework contract, determine a solution for clearing their various water courses of weed and the bankside margins to promote fast flows and prevent flooding given normal annual rainfall.

The proposed solution was a combination of a 15 tonne long reach hydraulic excavator equipped with a weed cutting bucket to remove  all vegetation in the water course and a tractor mounted side arm flail for the bankside material.

The works were carried out during the summer months and took a total of 34 days  with the excavator and 38 days of flailing which achieved the original specification within the time frame and budget available.