More Flood News

"X" marks Egginton Junction Bridge

It did not rain so much today, and most of yesterday's floodwater had subsided, so an opportunity to check out what damage has been done to our local NCN paths.



It was possible to ride almost all the way on R54 from Mickleover to Egginton, but the Greenway was still flooded between Five Mile Gate and Egginton Junction Bridge (see right). this area being prone to flooding even with more normal levels of rainfall.
Surprisingly, few of the adjacent fields were flooded, although they no doubt they would have been at the height of the storm.
Etwall Brook flows through some of these fields, that carrying water into the River Dove near Egginton, and hence to the confluence with the River Trent at Newton Solney.

There is serious damage to the path surface about 1/2 mile West of Mickleover Station, the top surface having been washed away to expose the limestone ballast below. This stretch was surfaced with yellow Breedon self-setting gravel, instead of the Toptrek surface used elsewhere.  It's finer structure allowed it to be carried away as the flood waters ran westwards down the 1 in 100 slope.



Some of the houses alongside, being below the level of the path, were flooded, several to a depth of 8 inches.





There are some other places on The Mickleover Greenway with similar but relatively minor damage. All will need extensive repairs.











Better news on Route 672 at Breadsall , where there is little evidence of damage, in spite of houses being  flooded in Breadsall village. The hilly nature of the surrounding countryside means that rainwater is quickly dispersed in the direction of the River Derwent on the other side of the A61 trunk road.


The remains of the vandalised seat have been removed by persons unknown, so no chance of repairing it for use elsewhere.


NCN Route 6 in the City Centre was not seriously affected and the level of the River Derwent was high, but well within it's banks. The new boardwalk under Causey Bridge, installed just a few months ago, was submerged however.
An interesting spectacle at the weir below Exeter Bridge where a large collection of flotsam, including about a dozen plastic footballs and some large tree trunks, were being held in perpetual motion by the stopper wave. See video.
The short lighthouse shaped tower in the opening shot, is the new hydro-electric power station, currently under construction, which will supply electricity to the re-furbished Council House.

I was told by a bystander that just before I arrived, a dead cow, with feet pointing skywards, had floated past.