Upgrade For Earith Flood Defences

10 June 2010, 06:00

£508,000 is being spent upgrading some equipment that protects 206 homes in Earith from flooding.

The sluice at Earith was built 60 years ago.

It controls water levels and diverts water from the River Great Ouse to the Ouse Washes flood storage reservoir.

Improvements are being made to the mechanical and electrical parts of the sluice.

The work will ensure that the sluice gate keeps protecting houses in the area in the future.

Ryan Ely, Project Manager for the Environment Agency said: "This is an important project to ensure flood protection continues for many years.

Like many engineering structures of this age, the sluice needed to be refurbished and modernised to ensure efficient operation.

 The sluice plays a major role in diverting water to the flood storage reservoir, protecting many homes."