Innovative Way To Alleviate Flash Flooding As Part Of The “Love Your Cinderford Brook” Project

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Our latest article explores a sustainable way in which a simple open top tank is being used to alleviate flash flooding and reduce run off in Cinderford Town Centre.

The “Love Your Cinderford Brook Project” has been funded by The Environment Agency and Severn Trent Water.  Managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and a team of volunteers, the project will bring life to the town centre.

“The Love Your Cinderford Brook Project, funded by The Environment Agency and Severn Trent water, aims to use sustainable drainage solutions in Cinderford Town Centre to alleviate flash flooding and reduce run off, by installing rain garden planters and garden areas. These features will help to improve the water quality of the Cinderford Brook by filtering some of the water that goes into the storm drains through the gardens. In addition, they improve the visual appearance and biodiversity of the town centre through planting the gardens with attractive and pollinator friendly plants”

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust got in touch with us at the Online Tank Store when selecting the tank they needed for this project. The 1500 Litre Open Top Tank was ideal due to its substantial size. However, as this large tank was being delivered to a public area, plans were put in places for a specific delivery date and time, to ensure all the volunteers were in place once the item arrived.

1. tank before installation

1500 Litre Open Top Tank 

The planter before installation

“The round tank planter is installed right in the town centre in the market triangle, where there is a large, supported roof, under which various community activities take place, such as markets, performances, large screen showings of big events etc.” This type of roof is ideal for collecting a larger amount of rainfall.

Once in position, the project volunteers could then get to work making the tank into a planter.

“The planter is installed underneath a ‘rain chain’ which brings the rain water directly from the roof into the planter. It has been planted with shade tolerant plants which thrive in damp places.” Interested in finding out more about a Rain Chain? Read more here.

The installation required several other fixtures including an overflow, a layer for water storage and lots of water loving plants. The below gallery shows the steps, as well as the planting in action and finished product.

The planter was finished in March and since then, it has really filled out. Not only does it aid rain water run-off, but the urban wildlife are enjoining the new addition.

This activity follows on from the successes of “Gloucestershire Rainscapes”, another project lead by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust with great results.

Cinderford Town Council are a project partner for the long term maintenance of the garden. You can read more about the project on their website by clicking here.

Thank you to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust for sharing the images with us and good luck with the rest of the project!