Second Flood Basin

Salford's flood basin at Littleton Road gives the vulnerable parts of the city 1 in 75 year flood protection. The second basin at Castle Irwell will ensure 1 in 100 year protection. I had a look at the site today - wellies essential.

It is a huge site, a vast landscape of mud and water at the moment. Work has ceased until it gets drier in March or April. The Irwell came through the site on Boxing Day when it flooded.

The site sits in a big loop of the river. The river looks a complete mess, I am told along its entire 39 mile length. The big flood saw it cough up decades of detritus. Along the banks hundreds of thousands of plastic bags and other rubbish hangs from the trees and bushes. Giant Hogweed has been washed along, so we can expect it to colonise lots of new places. And a lot of the fish have simply been swept away.

On a cheerier note - I saw a couple of goosander, heard lapwings, enjoyed a couple of swans that flew in, and liked the large flocks of gulls hanging around.