Emergency Operations on Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme

On 26th December 2015, the city of Leeds was hit by significant flood event, with waters in the River Aire reaching levels 1.2 m above the previously recorded high.

The BAM Nuttall team visited Leeds at the peak of the floods and during the inspection it was discovered that the by-wash channel at Knostrop lock, which is adjacent to the works being carried out to install a new movable weir, had failed and the canal bank had breached and several canal boats that had been moored in the area had been washed away.

An emergency works response team was put together with plant mobilized to site the following day in order to place a rock berm across the breach.

Rock and broken concrete from the old weir was placed in the fast flowing waters and by the 31st December the river waters entering the canal system had been reduced to an acceptable level.

On January 4th the piling team was mobilized to install a sheet piled wall across the breached area to provide a more substantial solution to the problem, allowing Leeds City Council, Environment Agency and Canal & Rivers Trust to work up a permanent repair solution.

This scheme will provide the city center and over 3,000 homes and 500 businesses with protection against flood events.

The project will also help safeguard 22,000 jobs over the next 10 years and create 150 jobs and apprenticeships to work on the project.​

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