Environment Agency sees Crummock Scheme as a flood risk
The Environment Agency has objected to the planning for United Utilities scheme to remove the weir at Crummock saying “we are not satisfied that the development would be safe“ .
UU submitted a flood risk assessment conducted by AtkinsRealis but the EA thinks it could increase flooding.
Residents of Lorton and Cockermouth were devastated in 2009 and 2015 by significant flooding events caused by water escaping from Crummock. If the scheme goes ahead, the water company will cease to be responsible for the outflow and the ‘naturalised’ water course will be left to its own devices.
At the moment, United Utilities are able to manage the water level through the use of sluices within the dam under the supervision of engineers. Residents of Lorton and Cockermouth want a competent authority to supervise Crummock, Buttermere and Loweswater as climate change appears to make flooding events more frequent.
Recent flooding in Cockermouth occurred in 2009 and 2015