Page 12 - RNT-C09

The HISTORY of REDDITCH New Town

Engineering the Arrow

When the Cistercian Monks first came to Bordesley they ”engineered” the river Arrow to
drain land and make it suitable for the building of Bordesley Abbey. Over 700 years later,
the Redditch Development Corporation again “engineered” the river for the benefit of the
New Town.

Two of Vince Green’s pictures taken when the Arrow Valley Lake was under
construction.

In their master plan they wrote “Although it may not be possible to provide a total surface
area of water sufficient completely to balance flood flows of the whole of the Arrow
watershed by allowing a fluctuating capacity, the provision of lakes will help to alleviate
these conditions. The possibility of reducing peak intensities from higher up in the tributary
watersheds was also under investigation. Three new lakes were proposed, each relating
not merely to the various parts of the balancing system; the provision of a 150' width
along the river course to permit free flow during periods of flood will localise the effects
of initial increase in flows. The variation of levels in relation to adjacent lakes would be
such that only in emergency flood conditions would this water flow through the rest of
the balancing system. This arrangement would reduce the immediate effect of increased
runoff from the new town in aggravating flood risks on the river itself. It would also
separate water that may be subject to pollution where it lies outside control of the new
town, from the stream courses and surface runoff water that derives from the town itself.
It would, of course, be necessary to take some steps to eliminate pollution from sources
within the town. Negotiation with authorities concerned with upstream sources of pollution
will also be needed in order that this can be at least limited in the early stages and
eventually eliminated.”

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