A major scheme, which is one of four around the Den Burn area designed to help save houses and businesses in the neighbourhood and further downstream from being flooded, has been completed.
The Den of Maidencraig flood management and wetlands project, which was built in an area which was affected by flooding in March, will add resilience along with the Stronsay Park flooding scheme to protect dozens of properties downstream including at Fountainhall Road.
The scheme, which was carried out by Aberdeen City Council and has BEGIN European funding from Intereg and a contribution from Bancon Homes, created a new path between the Maidencraig housing development and Hazlehead which will be a raised path on a safe route to school, reduce the flood risk downstream, and create a new home for nature by forming a wetlands area.
The work included the creation of a new path, construction of earth banks, relocation and opening-up of the tributary burn to create space for nature, installing new lighting, and replacing the temporary bridge over the Den Burn.
The path was built on top of an earth bank which is about 2m high and about 5m wide, with shallow sloping sides. In order to safeguard properties downstream from flooding, the bank has also been designed to hold water back in storm events to a depth of up to 1m, and this will be achieved by replacing the temporary bridge with a new one and installing a large drainage pipe underneath. This aims to slow the flow of water in the Den Burn, allowing it to temporarily flood across the boggy area of the Den of Maidencraig during storms.
As part of the works, the tributary burn coming off the hillside at the Lang Stracht was moved and opened up to improve the habitat for wildlife.
The Maidencraig project fits in with other similar flood alleviation, path and environmental schemes in the area, and the work stems from computer modelling carried out after the Den Burn flooded in previous years which pinpointed several areas which could be used to capture the extra water and hold it safely.
Aberdeen City Council public protection vice convener councillor Lesley Dunbar said: “We’re delighted the Den of Maidencraig scheme is finished and we look forward to seeing how well it will work, alongside the Stronsay Park scheme.
“There have been several areas around the city which have been affected by flooding particularly in recent years, which causes misery and heartache for residents in their homes and businesses.
“One of these areas was around the Den Burn, and City Council offers carried out expansive computer modelling for the water flow, and then designed several schemes which are designed to flood and contain the water.
“We hope that these new schemes will reduce the flood risk in Aberdeen, while at the same time provide more access options for the community and improve the local habitat for wildlife.”
Graeme Reay, land and planning director at Bancon Homes, said: “We were pleased to work with Aberdeen City Council on this project, which will not only assist in the flood management for properties downstream but will also improve pedestrian connectivity for the occupants of Bancon Homes’ Eden at Maidencraig and The Reserve developments as well as existing properties in the surrounding area, while maintaining the integrity of the local nature reserve.”
Other Aberdeen City Council flooding schemes to be built in the area are Summerhill Swale and Miniature Wetland, and Fernielea School Sustainable Drainage (SuDS) Scheme, and a scheme at Stronsay Park was built in 2015, and these are designed to flood and store water during storms to protect properties downstream, and also have environmental improvements. Stronsay Park holds more than 30,000m³ of water, which is the equivalent of 80 swimming pools, and was the first of the schemes around the Den Burn to be constructed.
Householders who have been affected by flooding are reminded they can apply for a Property Level Protection Funding Grant, where they can get 50% of funding to help protect their property from flooding up to a maximum of £2,500.
More details about the scheme and how to apply can be found at https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/environment/information-about-flooding/property-level-protection-flood-grant.