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Helpful Hedgebanks

14/6/2017

2 Comments

 
"The North Devon Biosphere are currently working on a project, funded by the Environment Agency and Natural England, constructing new hedgebanks on a farm above Braunton. These Devon hedges are specially designed to slow the flow of water off the land, thereby reducing flood risk in the village. The new hedge banks have small raised spines (baffles) jutting at right angles from them. These act like groynes on a beach, but trap water rather than sand. They hold it until it drains gradually through pipes (weepholes) set just above ground level, which pass through the hedge into the drainage ditch beyond.
Tom Hutchings, Devon County Council’s Flood and Coastal Risk Manager says "The Devon Banks look so established already. I like the idea of the spines to limit the lateral flows along the toe of the bank and then the weepholes to allow the flow to be conveyed through the banks. These are really useful photographs that can be used to promote such actions elsewhere around the County.

Learn more about this and other hedge related projects by joining the Devon Hedge Group on Facebook.
Devon Hedges
Devon Hedgebank creation
Hedgebank under construction
Hedgebank showing drainage detail
2 Comments
Robert Wolton link
19/6/2017 09:39:36 am

An excellent, innovative project. It will be very interesting to see how effective the new hedges are at reducing peak flows in the stream and the risk of Braunton flooding following heavy rainfall events.

Reply
Matt Edworthy link
29/6/2017 04:34:14 pm

Yes, it is innovative. We should be seeing how well they work during this week's wet-spell.

Reply



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telephone: 01271 388647