South West Inverness Flood Relief Channel

11th September 2011

South West Inverness Flood Relief Channel - Fourth and Final Phase

Highland Councillors have given the go ahead for the fourth and final phase of a £16 million scheme to protect 600 houses, which are at risk of flooding on the south side of Inverness.

The final phase of the South-West Inverness flood relief channel lies between Old town of Leys and the Alt na Skiah Burn to the south of Fairways Golf course. The scheme intercepts four watercourses; Lochardil Burn, Slackbuie Channel, Slackbuie Springs and Alt na Skiah Burn and channels the waters into the River Ness, via the Holm Burn.

The total length of construction for this final phase is 1,400 metres. Approximately half of this will be buried precast concrete box culverts and the remainder will be open channel.

The contract value is £6.57 million and the Council hopes to confirm award of the contract before the end of this month.

The contract period is 12 months and construction will commence before the end of this year.

A public meeting will be held following the award of the contract on a date and at a venue to be confirmed.

The works have been designed by AECOM based in Leeds and works will be supervised by the Council.

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of The Highland Council's Transport Environment and Community Services Committee, said: "I am delighted that the Council has invested so heavily in this important project, which will provide flood protection for many houses on the south side of Inverness. It is important that the Council takes account of the impact of climate change by investing in flood mitigation measures such as this to ensure that cost effective measures are in place to deal with exceptional weather flood events as and when they may arise in the future."

Phase one commenced at the River Ness and travels up the Holm Burn to Holm Burn Bridge. The works involved increasing the capacity of Holm Burn, bunding works on the banks, the widening and deepening of an existing sediment pond, the construction of a fish pass and the replacement of two bridges.

Phase two commenced at the Holm Burn just downstream of Torbreck Bridge and terminates at Culduthel Channel. The works involved construction of the confluence at Holm Burn, a sedimentation pond and weir to catch sediment from the channel prior to its discharge into the Holm Burn. The channel travels in a culvert until beyond Essich Road, and then travels largely in open channel until Culduthel Channel.

Phase three began at Culduthel Channel and ended at Ault na Skiah, taking in Lochardil Burn, Slackbuie Channel and Slackbuie Spring. The channel is a combination of culverted sections and open channel.

Works are also underway to replace Holm Burn Bridge on Dores Road as part of the scheme. This replacement increases the flood capacity of this bridge, but devlopers are also funding the widening of the bridge and provision of a cycleway to access a proposed adjacent development. Works at the bridge are programmed to be complete by Christmas.