Thames21 teams up with Harrow Council and Barnet Council to combat Silk Stream flood risk

Published

Thames21 has linked up with north-west London councils Harrow and Barnet on a six-year project to reduce flood risk on the Silk Stream catchment and has called on the local community to shape the initiative by filling out a survey.

The Silk Stream is a major tributary of the River Brent, rising on the Harrow Weald and Barnet Plateau and joining the Brent at the Welsh Harp Reservoir. It has several tributaries including Burnt Oak Brook and Edgware Brook. The Silk Stream is an important resource for wildlife and, along with Burnt Oak Brook, is designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

The project, called the Silk Stream Flood and Resilience Innovation (SSFRI) project, aims to reduce the risk of flooding by building new wetlands, restoring stretches of river and creating new areas of natural drainage on the Silk Stream catchment.

 

Flooding is a serious concern in the catchment and it’s estimated that more than 1000 properties are at risk. As the catchment has become increasingly urbanised with natural vegetation replaced by hard surfaces, water is less able to soak into the ground and during intense rainfall events water levels can rise rapidly, causing flooding.

Pollution is another problem that affects the Silk Stream, coming from a variety of sources including plumbing misconnections and connectivity between the surface water and foul sewers. During high rainfall events the sewers reach capacity and these problems are intensified.

Thames21, Harrow Council and Barnet council are calling on the local residents to help shape the project by clicking the following survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Silkstreammedia

SSFRI is a partnership project, led by Harrow and Barnet Councils with involvement from Thames21, Thames Water, Environment Agency, Greater London Authority, Canal and River Trust, Brent Catchment Partnership, Friends of the Silk Stream Resident Group, Silk Stream Flood Action Group and others. The project is funded by the government’s Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation initiative and is one of 25 related schemes across England.

Contact us at silkstream@thames21.org.uk if you have any questions, to find out how you can get involved.

For more information, please click on this link.