Prolonged dry weather has prompted the Environment Agency (EA) to expand its operational response across Lincolnshire, where low river flows are placing increasing pressure on water resources, agriculture and aquatic ecosystems.
The EA confirmed yesterday that the vital Trent Witham Ancholme River Transfer Scheme is now on, helping to secure water supplies for North Lincolnshire.
Owned and operated by the EA since 1974, the scheme supports more than 100 abstraction licences held by water companies, farmers, industrial users and other licensed abstractors who rely on water from the Rivers Ancholme and Witham.
The scheme transfers water between three of the region’s major waterways, the River Trent, the River Witham and the River Ancholme, to help ensure water demand can be met.
When water levels in the River Ancholme fall below the level needed to maintain navigation and support abstraction water is pumped from the River Witham at Short Ferry. It is transferred through a 17.5-kilometre pipeline to the upper Ancholme.
If levels in the River Witham also become low, it is replenished with water pumped from the River Trent at Torksey via the Fossdyke Canal, which connects to the Witham at Lincoln.
The scheme also includes the 16.5-hectare Toft Newton Reservoir, which stores up to 761,000 cubic metres of water. The reservoir provides an emergency reserve that can be released into the River Ancholme if pollution incidents or equipment failures disrupt normal river transfers.
Thomas Enright, an Environment Manager for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said:
“We are working hard to maintain river levels for people, wildlife, navigation and agriculture. We will continue to monitor the conditions closely and will not hesitate to use our regulatory powers to mitigate the impacts of dry weather on the environment, water supplies and other sectors.”
