Environment

Flooding

FLOOD PREVENTION WORKS NEARING COMPLETION

Since 1996 flood defences consisting of walls and earth bunds have been constructed to prevent flooding from the Kilmarnock Water and the River Irvine at:

• Riverbank Place
• Glencairn area
• Fairyhill Road
• Burnside Street; and
• Stoddard International

The Scottish Executive made funding available in March 2003 for the next flood prevention phase. This is the £9 million+ of flood prevention works that started just over a year ago in the Kilmarnock and Crookedholm areas that are now nearing completion. The scheme provides flood protection for the Glencairn area of Kilmarnock and Crookedholm.

Work nearing completion includes the erection of floodwalls along both sides of the River Irvine upstream from the Riccarton bridges to the existing walls at Glencairn, and downstream on the ScottishPower side. The parapets of the Riccarton Bridges will also be strengthened and raised.

Embankments and walls to protect Crookedholm have been built and a floodwater holding scheme has been put in place at East Holmes near the meeting of the Cessnock Water and the River Irvine, between the river and the A71.

• The East Holmes scheme will hold water when the river is in flood
• This area will form a reservoir behind the banks along the River Irvine and the Cessnock Water
• The scheme will reduce the level of flood protection that would otherwise be required at Crookedholm
• Reduce the impact of flood protection works at Crookedholm; and
• Increase the effectiveness of flood prevention works in Kilmarnock.

Following the major floods in 1994 and 1995, a computerised hydraulic model was constructed for the River Irvine to help predict where flooding might occur in worse events than took place in those years, and to help determine the level of defences required. A further scheme is currently being assessed for the River Irvine at Galston.

Following on from this other flood risk areas in East Ayrshire will be assessed and schemes prepared where appropriate. In addition, there is an ongoing programme of regular inspections of watercourses and culverts to ensure that these are in a good state of repair and are free flowing to prevent localised flooding.

Flood prevention works are the responsibility of the Roads and Transportation Division.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency's aim is to provide an efficient and integrated environmental protection system for Scotland.

The Flood Response Plan is the Council's contingency plan for responding to a flooding situation within East Ayrshire. It contains procedures which assist the response phase of the incident.