WHY DOES GIRTON KEEP ON FLOODING? The most serious flooding in Girton comes from two watercourses, Beck Brook and Washpit Brook, which rise near the 60 metre contour beside the American Cemetery on the A1303, and meet close to Dodford Lane and Girton Golf Course. A short distance downstream of this point is a bridge on the Oakington Road which was constructed by Cambridgeshire County Council in 1934. Upstream side of the Beck Brook bridge under the Oakington Road According to NIAB statistics, annual rainfall in Cambridge over the past decade has ranged from a low of 347 mm (13.7 inches) in 2011 to a high of 674 mm (25.5 inches) in 2012. With the onset of climate change, higher future rainfall amounts are not expected, but a more intense pattern of rainfall is likely (less drizzle) and differences will occur in run-off patterns as a result of building and development. Serious floods occurred in Girton in October 2001 and July 2012, when some dozen homes in the Dodford Lane/Fairway/Oakington Road area were inundated to varying depths, following prolonged rainfall. The Oakington Road bridge has a limited area beneath the arch, and is further constricted by a considerable number of low-level service pipes, both upstream and downstream, which become festooned with debris at times of high flood. The pipes carry the high- and low-pressure gas mains, the Cambridge Water main, electricity, BT cables, the Anglian Water foul sewer pipe and two other services, possibly communications. The Cambridgeshire County Council Highways Department is responsible for the maintenance of the carriageway over the bridge and the bridge itself, which is inspected every two years. The last inspection took place in January 2012. Another bridge nearby at Westwick was replaced in 2007 at a cost of £700,00 to the County Council. The bottleneck created by the inadequate floodway and the service pipes is further aggravated by highway drainage, surface water and high rainfall amounts, reducing the capacity of the brook and causing it to back up. The limited capacity of the Dodford Lane bridge leading to the golf course is an additional contributory factor. The Environment Agency (EA) map clearly indicates the effect of these constrictions on the pattern of flooding on both sides of Oakington Road. The Agency is aware of this hazard, and has considered changes including diversion of the service pipes and even replacement of the bridge with a higher capacity structure. In addition, the EA plans to install a continuous automatic water level recorder on Washpit Brook, linked to their Flood Warning system. The Girton Parish News learns that Environment Agency staff have recently met with staff from the Cambridgeshire County Council, the Highways Agency and other organisations to discuss the present situation and propose a way forward to solve the problems in a unified manner. The EA modellers continue to work on the river model and the various scenarios for reducing flood risk, and paid a visit to the village during the high water levels in December 2012. The initial results of the model are now being considered, and outputs are being checked: they will be shared with residents and agencies as soon as practicable. The County Council is keen to work closely with the EA to ensure an effective outcome, and the issue of flooding in Girton is high on its agenda. A site visit to Girton was made by our MP Andrew Lansley, the Chair of the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, the Chairman of the Girton Parish Council Councillor Douglas de Lacey and Graham Verrier (Flood and Coastal Risk Manager) in order to learn about the problems faced by residents. The EA has also contacted the various utility companies regarding moving the services up- and downstream of the bridge, and received responses which are being followed up. A “Newsletter on Girton Flooding” will be issued by the EA when new information is available, and will be reported in the Girton Parish News. The Agency plans the next drop-in session at the end of February. Invitations will be sent out to all concerned as soon as the date is confirmed and will also be published on the village website. This article originated in a technical report written by Councillor Brian Bromwich for the Girton Parish Council, and available at www.girton-cambs.com. More data including the local flood map are available on the Environment Agency website (http://environment-agency.gov.uk). John Berridge, January 2013