Barrier bank defence at flood-hit Doncaster village was ‘below design standard say council bosses

The village of Fishlake was hit heavily by flooding after the River Don burst its banks causing damage to a number of homes and businesses.

A post-event survey revealed a large section of the secondary barrier bank – where flood water was observed to have entered the village – was lower than the design standard, documents show.

The Environment Agency have since carried out work to improve the barrier bank and ensure defences are now to the design standard.

During November 2019, within the Fishlake area, 173 properties were flooded.

Flooding has previously occurred during March 1947, and 2007. Prior to 1947 major floods in Fishlake were recorded in 1932, 1923, 1880, 1872, 1795 and 1697.

During November 2019 a combination of two major rain events in subsequent weeks produced a major flood on the River Don that first exceeded the design standard of the left Riverside Bank and then subsequently overtopped the secondary barrier bank.

Significant overtopping of the riverside bank occurred upstream and just downstream of Stainforth Bridge.

The flood extent was initially contained by the secondary level of defence through the barrier bank, until this was overtopped, allowing the flood water to quickly spread east, north and west across the village filling up lower-lying areas and flooding many properties until most of the village was submerged.

The council has been successful in securing £65,000 from the Environment Agency which will be used to carry out a feasibility study in order to complete more flood defence work.

Richard Campbell, a flood officer at Doncaster Council, said: “We will build upon the existing information available in the area for the fluvial, surface water and land drainage network and determine the existing storage capacity of the ings (flat land used to soak up flood water).

“We will Identify how capacity information for the ings could be used by the highway authority and other partners to determine when road closures and pump strategies need to be implemented.

“Potential schemes will be identified to reduce the likelihood and significance of any future flooding which would also improve recovery times following overtopping events.”