THE latest phase in the large scale dredging work on the River Parrett was successfully completed last week.

Contractors have spent the past three months removing 13,000 cubic metres of material from a 750m stretch of the Parrett between Northmoor Pumping Station and Linden Farm.

The work was funded and commissioned by the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) and carried out by the Environment Agency and its contractors Land and Water and Black and Veitch. The dredging is designed to improve flows in the river and help reduce local flood risk.

It follows earlier phase one dredging work, completed in October 2014, when the Environment Agency removed 130,000 cubic metres of material from an 8km stretch of the Rivers Tone and Parrett around Burrowbridge. This was completed in October 2014.

In excess of 20,000 cubic metres of material was removed by the Internal Drainage Board in early 2016 as part of maintenance work of the phase one dredge.

This latest dredging was partly funded by the Heart of the Southwest Local Enterprise Partnership.

“We’re delighted that another important piece of work to reduce flood risk in the county has been completed,” said John Osman, Chair of the Somerset Rivers Authority.

“The work of the SRA is tackling the flood issue in lots of different ways, from land management to improving drainage, and dredging is an important part of the picture.

“No one can promise to stop flooding, but everything that the SRA is doing reduces the likelihood and impact of any future flooding.

“Works like this inevitably cause some disruption and I’d like to thank local residents for their patience and cooperation over the last three months.”

Contractors will be removing dredging equipment and excavated spoil, currently stored in fields, will be spread on surrounding farmland over the coming weeks.