River Brue: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|riverRiver in Somerset, England}}
{{good article}}

Between 1774 and 1797 a series of [[Inclosure Acts|enclosures]] took place in the Brue valley between the [[Polden Hills|Poldens]] and Wedmore.<ref>{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|year=1982|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|pages=135–136|isbn=0-340-20116-9}}</ref> In 1794 the annual floods filled the whole of the Brue valley. Work by the Commissioners of Sewers led to the 1801 Brue[[Somerset Drainage Act 1801]] ([[41 Geo. 3. (U.K.)]] c. lxxii) which enabled sections at Highbridge and Cripp's Bridge to be straightened, and new feeder channels such as the North and South Drains to be constructed.<ref name=gc>{{cite book | title=The Glastonbury Canal | first1= Geoffrey | last1= Body |first2 = Roy |last2=Gallop | isbn= 0-946217-08-4 | year= 2001 | publisher=Fiducia Press | location=Bristol |page=7}}</ref> In 1803 the [[Sluice|clyse]] at Highbridge, which had been built before 1485, was replaced and moved further downstream.<ref>{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|year=1982|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|pages=149–150|isbn=0-340-20116-9}}</ref>

The area around Bruton has suffered over the centuries. The earliest recorded damage was in 1768 when a stone bridge was destroyed after the river rose very rapidly.<ref name=vijay/> On 28 June 1917, {{convert|242.8|mm}} of rain fell in 24 hours at Bruton,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wiseweather.co.uk/id54.html |title=The Boscastle storm of August 2004 and other heavy rainfall events of the last century in the area |publisher=wiseweather.co.uk |access-date=6 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214150128/http://wiseweather.co.uk/id54.html |archive-date=14 February 2009 }}</ref> leaving a water mark on one pub {{convert|20|ft}} above the normal level of the river.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/weather/uk_and_roi/article1991176.ece|title=June's freak downpours have historical precedent|last=Simons|first=Paul |date=27 June 2007|work=The Times|access-date=6 November 2008 | location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In 1982 extensive flooding occurred in the town, and as a result in 1984 a protective dam was built {{convert|1|km}} upstream from the town.<ref>{{cite web|title=Case study 10.3 – Bruton flood storage reservoir|url=http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/FCERM/en/FluvialDesignGuide/CaseStudy10_3.aspx|publisher=Environment Agency|access-date=20 April 2018}}</ref>

During the [[winter flooding of 2013–14 on the Somerset Levels]] the River Brue overflowed at new year, during the rain and storms from [[Cyclone Dirk|Storm Dirk]], with many residents asking for the Environment Agency to resume river dredging.<ref name="westerndailypress1">{{cite news |url=http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Plea-calm-political-storm-erupts/story-20601268-detail/story.html |title=Somerset floods: Cameron orders end to petty squabbles in Cabinet |newspaper=Western Daily Press |date=7 February 2014 |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222042740/http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Plea-calm-political-storm-erupts/story-20601268-detail/story.html |archive-date=22 February 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25633693 |title=UK storms: Further flooding risk as heavy rain forecast |work=BBC News |date=7 January 2014 |access-date=7 January 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107135451/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25633693 |archive-date= 7 January 2014 }}</ref> On 24 January 2014, in light of the continued flooded extent of the Somerset Moors and forecast new rainfall as part of the [[2013–2014 United Kingdom winter floods|winter storms of 2013–14 in the United Kingdom]], both Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council declared a [[Emergency management#United Kingdom|major incident]], as defined under the [[Civil Contingencies Act 2004]].<ref name=BBC25876309/><ref name=GuardMajIncid>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/24/uk-floods-major-incident-somerset-levels |title=UK floods: council declares major incident on Somerset Levels |first=Steven |last=Morris |work=The Guardian |date=24 January 2014 |access-date=24 January 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203161413/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/24/uk-floods-major-incident-somerset-levels |archive-date= 3 February 2014 }}</ref> At this time, with {{convert|17000|acre}} of agricultural land having been under water for over a month,<ref name=GuardMajIncid/> the village of Thorney was abandoned and Muchelney was cut off by flood waters for almost a month.<ref name=BBC25876309>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-25876309 |title=Somerset floods: 'Major incident' declared |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=24 January 2014 |access-date=24 January 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125212823/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-25876309 |archive-date=25 January 2014 }}</ref> [[Northmoor Green]], which is more commonly known as Moorland, was also severely affected. By the end of January, {{convert|17000|acre}} of agricultural land, including [[North Moor]], [[Curry and Hay Moors]] and [[Greylake]], had been under water for over a month.<ref name=GuardMajIncid/> Bridgwater was partly flooded on 10 February 2014,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26071149 |title=Living with the Somerset floods |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=February 2014 |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211075703/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26071149 |archive-date=11 February 2014 }}</ref> when with 20,000 sandbags ready to be deployed.<ref name="telegraph1">{{cite news|last=Philipson |first=Alice |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10627883/Flooding-crisis-weather-live.html |title=Flooding crisis: as it happened |newspaper=Telegraph |date=10 February 2014 |access-date=13 February 2014 |url-status=livedead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212103230/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10627883/Flooding-crisis-weather-live.html |archive-date=12 February 2014 }}</ref> Over 600 houses were flooded,<ref name="westerndailypress1"/> and both flooding and groundwater disrupted services including trains on the [[Bristol to Exeter line]] between Bridgwater and Taunton.<ref name="westerndailypress1"/> Further preventative work under the title of the "Brue Catchment River Maintenance Pilot Project" has led to controversy about the need for dredging and maintenance of the river.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brue Catchment River Maintenance Pilot Project |url=http://www.cla.org.uk/rural-policy-advice/environmental-management/water/flooding/news/brue-catchment-river-maintenance-pilot-project |publisher=CLA |access-date=20 September 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081216/http://www.cla.org.uk/rural-policy-advice/environmental-management/water/flooding/news/brue-catchment-river-maintenance-pilot-project |archive-date= 4 March 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=River Brue Maintenance Pilot |url=http://www.somersetdrainageboards.gov.uk/river-brue-maintenance-pilot-ea-open-day/ |publisher=Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium |access-date=20 September 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034113/http://www.somersetdrainageboards.gov.uk/river-brue-maintenance-pilot-ea-open-day/ |archive-date= 4 March 2016 }}</ref>

One of the project's goals is to protect, restore and create areas of [[reedbed]], [[grazing marsh]], [[fen]], [[raised bog]], [[meadow|lowland meadow]], [[purple moor grass and rush pastures]] and [[wet woodland]]. Species of conservation concern ([[UK Biodiversity Action Plan]] priority species) that are likely to benefit from this project include plants such as: [[Carex divisa|divided sedge]] (''[[Carex divisa]]''), [[Euphrasia|English sticky eyebright]] (''[[Euphrasia anglica]]''), [[Sium latifolium|greater water parsnip]] (''[[Sium latifolium]]''), [[Platanthera bifolia|lesser butterfly orchid]] (''[[Platanthera bifolia]]''), [[Stellaria|marsh stitchwort]] (''[[Stellaria palustris]]'') and [[Water dropwort|tubular water dropwort]] (''[[Oenanthe fistulosa]]''). The flora provides a habitat for several species of invertebrates. These include [[moth]]s such as the [[argent and sable moth]] (''[[Rheumaptera hastata]]'') and [[Hemaris tityus|narrow bordered bee hawk-moth]] (''[[Hemaris tityus]]''). While butterfly species include the [[Small heath (butterfly)|small heath]] (''[[Coenonympha pamphilus]]''), [[pearl-bordered fritillary]] (''[[Boloria euphrosyne]]'') and [[small pearl-bordered fritillary]] (''[[Boloria selene]]''). Beetles found in the valley include the [[lesser silver water beetle]] (''[[Hydrochara caraboides]]'') and [[one-grooved diving beetle]] (''[[Bidessus unistriatus]]'').<ref>{{cite web |title=Notable invertebrate species |url=http://www.avalonmarshes.org/assets/source/headline_species/am_invertebrate_species.pdf |publisher=Avalon Marshes |access-date=19 September 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309130347/http://www.avalonmarshes.org/assets/source/headline_species/am_invertebrate_species.pdf |archive-date=9 March 2016 }}</ref> There are also [[shining ram's-horn snail]]ssnails (''[[Segmentina nitida]]'') and [[shrill carder bee]]sbees (''[[Bombus sylvarum]]'').<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of Climate Change on the Brue Valley |url=http://www.sanhs.org/Documents/fr%2013%20may.pdf |publisher=Risk & Policy Analysts Limited |access-date=7 September 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419195531/http://www.sanhs.org/Documents/fr%2013%20may.pdf |archive-date=19 April 2017 }}</ref>

[[Highbridge and Burnham railway station]] provides access. There is further {{convert|2|mi}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/rail.shtml |title=ArchivedHighbridge copyRailway Station - Nearest train station for Burnham-on-sea, Somerset |access-date=2014-06-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011063159/http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/rail.shtml |archive-date=11 October 2014 }}</ref> walk or cycle westwards mainly alongside the River Brue, following the approximate flat path way of the former [[Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway|S&DJR]] extension route, takes the traveller into [[Burnham-on-Sea]].