Last section of River Erewash diversion in place

2^nd December 2009:  CEMEX UK, the building materials provider, has completed the final part in the construction of a new eastern bank and diversion to the River Erewash, close to the Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottingham. The panels on the 26 metre footbridge and public right of way, known as the Trent Valley Walk, were the last section put in place to complete this £1.2million project.

Work began in February 2009 to help improve the flow and quality of the water which previously ran from the industrial areas of Nottingham and ended in the Eastern Lake of the Attenborough Nature Reserve. This project diverts the water flow away from the reserve and into the River Trent. 

Today, there is a new eastern bank to the River Erewash and a channel south diverting the flow into the Trent. This has resulted in a much depleted amount of water, an estimated 1% of the annual flow of water, spilling into the Eastern Lake.

A key element of the project was the construction by CEMEX of a new weir which included a bridge, public footpath and fish "ladder". The weir is used to maintain the water levels in the nature reserve and stop debris entering the River Trent.

The fish ladder allows the fish to pass from the River Trent, through the weir by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps, into the River Erewash and the nature reserve on the other side. This is the first time in 50 years that fish have been able to swim into these stretches of water from this direction.

The River Erewash is a channel approximately 10 metres wide with CEMEX operations that is, a ready mixed concrete plant, quarry and processing plant are on either side. Perpendicular to the River Erewash there is a separate channel for barging the quarried sand and gravel approx 10km to the processing plant.  Currently 50 barges a week, each carrying between 70 - 80 tonnes, transport the aggregates.  CEMEX Materials provided over 200 cubic metres ready mixed concrete and aggregates from the local operations for this project.

The construction of the embankment and diversion will minimize the effects of the contaminated phosphate and nitrogen-rich water that has been running in the River Erewash into the SSSI Attenborough Nature Reserve.  The water in the reserve will be greatly improved creating a better environment and habitat for the wide variety of wildlife and plants.

 

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