In 2015 Storm Desmond brought record rainfall to this area of the UK, with over 340mm of rain falling in just 24 hours. The resulting flooding brought the town of Cockermouth to a standstill and caused significant disruption to local businesses and the community in general; a repeat of the similar flood event that occurred just six years earlier.
Flood Control International was contracted by the main contractor to carry out the design, manufacture and installation of a series
of manual pedestrian floodgates along with motorised automated floodgates for the vehicle access points.
Additionally, the client required all of the gates to be water tested and secondary barriers that could fit to any of the gates provided in case of damage of the main gate immediately prior to any future flood.
In order to avoid moving the factory to a new site, flood defence measures were required to offer protection from a 1 in 1,000 year flood event, allowing James Walker & Co to protect the 13 acre site and safeguard the jobs of over 400 employees.
THE SOLUTION
The main scope of works included:
Installation of sheet piled wall around the site production buildings
Design, supply and installation of motorised vehicle access floodgates
Design, supply and installation of manually operated pedestrian floodgates
Installation of 2 no. pumping stations
Construction of 2 no. large swales
Water testing for the gates and provision of secondary line of defence using demountable flood barriers.
