Pictures show Stockton's innovative flood management scheme in action

The recently completed Lustrum Beck flood scheme in Stockton was put to the test during last month's Storm Christoph.

Three storage basins, designed to hold back flood water upstream at Coatham Wood, filled up during the heavy rain, before slowly draining back into a tributary, preventing flooding in the town.

One of the empty storage basins, part of the natural flood scheme

One of the empty storage basin

The storage basin following heavy rain during Storm Christoph

And following heavy rain

Leila Huntington,from the Environment Agency in the North-East said: "It’s really exciting to have completed what is an innovative approach that provides benefits for flood risk management, significant opportunities for wildlife and open spaces full of nature for the community to enjoy.

“The fact the storage ponds have worked as intended so soon after completion demonstrates it’s a really important part of flood risk management for the town, and I hope it’s provided some reassurance for the community.”

The new natural flood risk management measures work hand in hand with the existing £3million flood defences in the town which were completed in 2017.

The scheme was completed recently and is part of a project to reduce flooding to 150 homes.

The storage basins can hold 12,500 cubic metres of water – the equivalent to five Olympic-sized swimming pools.

One of the empty storage basins

The storage basin following heavy rain

They feature in-channel features, such as debris dams that will help to slow down the flow of water in the beck as well as promoting biodiversity.

The Environment Agency has created new ponds and habitat features throughout the site. They have also integrated the storage scheme with an existing meander that had been disconnected from the beck. Connecting this together creates an area of wet woodland, providing new habitats.

Ms Huntington added: "Natural flood management uses the natural landscape to hold back water and reduce flood risk downstream. Here at Coatham Wood the new features work hand in hand with traditional engineering solutions in the town centre to further reduce the risk of flooding to homes and businesses in the town and make Stockton-on-Tees more resilient to climate change."

During this phase of the £4million Lustrum Beck project the Environment Agency joined forces with Newcastle University, Arup and Tees Rivers Trust to design the natural flood management features, which have been created on land owned by the Forestry Commission and managed by Forestry England.

The successful delivery of the project has also been supported by funding from Highways England and the EU.

All of the work has been being carried out within current Coronavirus government guidelines.

The trees planted as part of the natural flood management scheme will form part of a Forestry Commission woodland management plan to provide a diverse, sustainable habitat.

The Environment Agency will return to the site when the weather improves to carry out ground restoration work and re-seeding in time for Spring. It is also investigating opportunities for further upstream storage as part of the project.