Category Archives: River ock

Jan 2015 Flood Fair report

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Flood Mitigation
A flood and bad weather fair was put on by the Town Council at both Long Furlong  and Preston Road Community Centre.
Flood Mitigation
There was an array of ingenious gadgets designed to protect homes and possessions from floods.

There was the chance to pick up leaflets about what to do in the event of a flood, or other types of bad weather.
Flood Mitigation
The Environment Agency were also there to explain more about the three flood mitigation schemes being looked at for Abingdon.

Central government is now putting more money in to flood prevention, but expects more money from local partners in return.

Feasibility studies have already been done on the two simpler Abingdon schemes: to reduce flooding from the River Stert, and the River Ock at St Helens Mill. They could get the go ahead for design in Spring 2015.

During 2015 data would also be gathered to model the River Thames (Sandford to south of Mapledurham) and the River Ock Storage Area.

A River Ock flood storage area is the long term flood prevention proposed for Abingdon. It would hold back water outside Abingdon and release it more slowly.

Modelling would first show whether a flood storage area on the River Ock is viable. If viable then a feasibility study could begin in 2016.

The River Ock scheme will be looked at separately from the Oxford scheme, and for either scheme to go ahead they must demonstrate they will not make flooding worse downstream.

River Ock in August

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River Ock
The lower stream of the River Ock shimmers as it flows towards the River Thames. It is a lovely way to walk in, or out, of town from the Drayton Road, and forms Abingdon’s own Mesopotamia (from the Greek, meaning ‘between two rivers’). But it does need taking care of from time to time, not just from flooding.
River Ock
Himalayan Balsam is gaining ground again. This invasive species overtops the nettles in one place. Some stalks growing from the banks are 8 or 9 feet tall.
River Ock
The additional drainage channel from the Ock, that cuts across to Caldecott Road, is also overgrown with nettles and other weeds.

Crayfish

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Crayfish
One unwelcome invader to our rivers is the North American Signal Crayfish, a ferocious cannibal that will eat anything that comes its way, fish eggs, ducklings, young Moorhens and has all but finished off our indigenous species. Apart from doing harm to our wildlife they can collapse a river bank by their constant burrowing. The River Ock has its share of this monster and Steve has been doing his best to control them (over 100 in 3 days from a 10 meter stretch) You have to be licensed by the E.A to catch them and putting them back is forbidden, (failure to comply carries a hefty fine) but they do make for good eating!
Crayfish