Banking above flood lock saved Sawley

IN THE past, the amount of recent rain would have flooded Sawley Marina, but banking installed to protect an auction yard saved it.

When Walker Movements, that auction HGVs and the like took over the former buildings materials yard below the flood lock on the Trent it made sure it was safe from the past flooding by constructing a bank along the entire length of the cut from the road to where the land rises near the M1 motorway.

Across the road into the marina

In the past, as soon as the water reached the bank, as shown in the picture taken earlier this week, the water would go over, into the yard, across the road then into the marina, the flood lock having no effect whatsoever, the added planks to increase its height being of little use.

Since the bank has been built the marina has been safe and the road no longer flooded.  The picture below shows the flood water on the road before the bank was built.

Lucky escape

But it had a lucky escape this week as there had been more than the usual rainfall and once again water was being released from the Lady Bower Reservoir on the Derwent, increasing the height of the flood, with the water reaching the top of the flood lock and escaping around it.

The level at the jetties had increased nine inches in a few hours, but luckily the water from the Trent was decreasing and so the marina remained safe, much, it would be imagined to the relief of the many residents, who would have had to vacate their boats once the jetties get swamped.