Cork flood prevention team revises scheme to offer better protection to homes and businesses
The actions of Sorensen in Glanmire helped prevent major flooding in the town. Picture: Larry Cummins
Engineers working on the biggest flood prevention project under construction in Munster have developed what could become a blueprint for future schemes by adapting their approach to ‘property first’ protection and putting in place a 24/7 rapid reaction team in the event of extreme rainfall.
Contractors Sorensen managed to save a number of businesses and houses in Glanmire, Co Cork during last October’s Storm Babet when they diverted a stream which became a torrent near the Catholic church from inundating a number of properties.
They saved several businesses in the Hazelwood Shopping Centre and the nearby 50-house Meadowbrook Estate from severe flooding.
As a result of what happened the contractors reviewed their initial plans for the €20m scheme and decided to alter some of the proposed work timelines, moving to prioritise the protection of vulnerable residential properties in Sallybrook, Meadowbrook, Copper Valley Vue and commercial outlets at the Hazelwood Shopping Centre.
Sorensen operations director Brian Snow said they had altered their programme to complete defences in high-risk areas along the River Glashaboy in advance of the original schedule and in the meantime had built up a very good relationship with locals.
“We will react to whatever the case may be. We have a team on standby 24/7 who are equipped with adequate pumping capabilities,” Mr Snow said.
He added that in his opinion such contingency plans should be put in place to react in a crisis, especially as climate change is getting worse.
Currently, the company has around 50 staff on the job, but that will double in the summer as work is ratcheted up.
Mr Snow said this is primarily because of rules laid down by Inland Fisheries Ireland as they are not allowed to do "in-river" works between the end of September and July 1.
New and larger drainage systems have been installed in Meadowbrook and a major pumping station is to be installed in the estate in the next few weeks, which will also help protect the houses from future flooding.
Riverside ‘defensive’ walls will be installed in the estate and some are already under construction adjacent to the local funeral home.
The Copper Valley Vue estate has been flooded twice since the major flood of June 28, 2012.
There have been a number of narrow escapes since then in Meadowbrook and upstream at Sallybrook.
During the 2012 event, some houses in Meadowbrook were inundated with up to six feet of water and their occupants had to be rescued by emergency services using inflatable boats.
Sorensen has already put in temporary flood defences in at the Copper Valley Vue estate and the company will be installing improved culverting systems between July and September.
It will also be raising and widening the bridge over the river at the southern entrance to the estate during the same period. Work will also be undertaken close by on a bridge on the Knockraha road.
The project got underway last June and is due to be completed in the late Spring of 2026.
It has been designed to protect approximately 25 commercial premises and 78 houses against a one-in-100-year flood.
