Flood Action Conference 2023

Cambridgeshire County Council like to invite local community representatives to their Flood Action Conference which will take place on Thursday 21st September 2023 at Burgess Hall in St Ives from 10:15 to 16:30. The conference has been organised by the Community Flood Action Programme team (part of the Flood Risk team) and is open to any residents and community groups with an interest in learning more about flood resilience or establishing their own flood group. This conference follows on from a successful launch last year and will include talks and workshops by Cambridgeshire County Council, the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Internal Drainage Boards and industry leading experts. We will also have the ‘Floodmobile’ at the event which is a vehicle demonstrating over 50 examples of flood resilience measures that householders and businesses can install. Tickets can be booked here Flood Action Conference 2023 Tickets, Thu 21 Sep 2023 at 10:15 | Eventbrite

Fascinating Fens – Celebrate the Fens Day & Weekend 16th – 18th June

Fascinating Fens are excited to announce the “Celebrate The Fens” Day, will be returning on 17th June 2023 (for the whole weekend 16th-18th).

There will be a mixture of actual and virtual events taking place, how will you get involved and celebrate?

Click here to read the latest newsletter.

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Service Block – March Town Bridge

The sanitation point at March Town Bridge, Old River Nene, is open. Currently, the information on Fenland District Council’s website is out of date.

Pump-out tickets can be bought from George Campbell Leisure Centre, for £20.

Calor tells BSS that it will continue to exchange and refill serviceable 3.9kg propane and 4.5kg butane cylinders

Calors new position on small cylinder filling

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St George’s Fayre

Are you thinking of navigating to St George’s Fayre in March on Sunday 23rd April? If so, our mooring will be available to use with just a 25 min stroll into town

https://fenland.gov.uk/stgeorgesfayre

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Ashline Lock Downstream Mooring Refurbishment – Completed

The extensive refurbishment of the downstream lock entrance moorings is now complete and open to the public. Normal operating procedures apply.

 

Queen Elizabeth II

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, after 70 years of dedicated service to the country. Our thoughts are with the Queen’s family at this time of sorrow and loss. The image is of the Queen opening a new IDB pumping station serving a neighbouring Board two years ago, showing her interest in the work of IDBs.

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Water Level Information

A second month with almost no rainfall is putting our system under extreme pressure. We keep levels up at this time of year, and in these conditions, by taking water from the River Nene. However, as flows in the Nene fall the Environment Agency also are forced to reduce what we are allowed to take as our share of the residual flow. So far this year we have been able to keep levels above the point where we would expect navigators to be experiencing significant issues, but it is a fine line and a few inches either way can make all the difference to this.

Over the next few years it is our intention to explore options for dredging the shallowest lengths of the old river courses as we have done so with much success in the Well Creek (for example we are currently looking at the whole of March and sections in Benwick). In the meantime please be aware that levels are at their annual lowest, adjust your speed accordingly and keep an eye out for submerged obstacles.

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March Town Centre Pump Out Facilities

The Middle Level Commissioners are very pleased to be able to report that they have been working closely with Fenland District Council (FDC) to identify opportunities to maintain and enhance the navigation experience through March. As part of these ongoing discussions FDC have reaffirmed their commitment to maintain the pump out facilities in the centre of town. These are currently non-operational but this week confirmation has been received that a replacement pump has been ordered, allowing for planned installation and commissioning late summer or early autumn this year.

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Marmont Priory Lock Side Moorings – Refurbishment

The MLC will be carrying out extensive refurbishment of the downstream lock entrance moorings.

Work will commence on 23rd May 2022 and is likely to take around a week to complete. As there will be no place to moor up a boat at this end of the lock during this time a temporary lock keeper will be on hand each day to assist from 8am to 5pm, until the moorings are reopened.