Letter to Oxford Times 4 April 2023
Dear Editor
We were delighted to read your article in the OM 31 March 2023 about Oxford’s Flood Alleviation Scheme that cites the petition to Save Hinksey Meadows from the destructive channel element of the scheme.
In contrast, your article states the claim that "A new stream could be created through the meadows.'' This is highly misleading when the reality would involve digging out 3 acres (the equivalent of 3 football pitches) of ancient meadow and gravel from the nationally important, ecologically rich floodplain.
While 85% of the scheme including bunds and earthworks is to be welcomed, the artificial, experimental channel is the most costly, least effective and most environmentally destructive part of the flood scheme.
The channel through Hinksey Meadow does little to move floodwater away from Oxford. Instead, in theory it allows more floodwater storage in the area between those two roads, before eventual discharge south of Old Abingdon Rd. In some places the channel would be as wide as 250 metres.
In practice, this is an inefficient way of moving water. Downstream of the meadows, the design would create flood backup as a result of obstruction by the proposed bridge decks at Old Abingdon Road T-junction, and by omission of a modern viaduct at the railway in Kennington.
South of Hinksey Meadow, the channel would become in effect a shallow ditch only filled with water at peak flood time. It is dependent on proper maintenance, so it is not silted up and colonised with Himalayan Balsam.The formation of the new experimental channel could empty the old ones - Hinksey, Bulstake and Seacourt Streams - potentially creating swamps and impacting the ecology here.
Overall, creating the channel would require losing 700,000 tons of soil and gravel and 133 acres of greenbelt that has stored carbon for a thousand years. Along with thousands of trees, miles of hedgerow and most of Willow Walk for a runway style bridge.
It would be inaccurate to call this a “stream”. There will be a public meeting at Oxford Town Hall 17th April 7pm about OFAS and its impacts.
Best wishes,
Dr Evelyn Sanderson Only One Oxford
Dr Rod Chalk Hinksey and Osney Environment Group
Professor Jocelyn Wogan Browne Oxford Flood and Environment Group
Patricia Murphy Oxford Flood and Environment Group
Dr Riki Therivel Sustainability Consultant
Canon Dr Chris Sugden Ferry Hinksey Trust; Hinksey and Osney Environment Group