The opportunity to use new mud disposal sites on the River Waveney has allowed the dredging of part of Oulton Broad to be brought forward by three years.
Already 6,500 cubic metres of mud have been dredged from the bar at the entrance to the broad. Now an opportunity has arisen to deposit dredgings at Black Mill, on the River Waveney, to create a rond as part of the Environment Agency’s Flood Alleviation Project. Work in the North Bay, to remove a further 5,500 cubic metres, originally scheduled for three years’ time, is being carried out until the boating season peaks in mid-July.
On Thursday 5 June the Broads Authority’s Navigation Committee considers several more sites on the Waveney which could take significant deposits of mud from the broad. These would create opportunities to extend 24 hour moorings at the Dutch Tea Gardens and create a new 24 hour mooring at Long Dam Level.
Planning permission has been given to infill two wherry dykes at Jensen’s Island in Oulton Dyke with dredgings and create a new stern on 24 hour mooring there. The proposed scheme would have included restoring a degraded marsh at Jensen’s Island where dredgings have historically been deposited.
However Waterways Director Trudi Wakelin considers the new sites further up the River Waveney offer opportunities which are more cost effective and have a greater capacity to take dredgings than the Jensen’s Island scheme.
Steve Aylward, Property and Projects Manager for Suffolk Wildlife Trust, which is based on the marsh, said: “We are disappointed the scheme is not going ahead and we are losing this opportunity to restore a good part of Jensen’s Island. But we understand the problems faced by the Broads Authority in finding possible silt disposal sites and the trust will continue to work with the Authority to resolve the situation.”
Trudi Wakelin said the Broads Authority wanted to develop a long-term solution for disposal of dredgings, which could include projects for wetland enhancement. She said more work is needed to secure a long-term site for dredging disposal on the River Waveney and has recommended engaging agents to purchase arable land in the Waveney Valley for this purpose.
