Flood defences prevent £86 million of damage
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MORAY’S expensive flood defence systems have already paid back half their £170 million cost, according to the council.
The local authority has stated that the new defences prevented £47 million of damage around Forres during August’s extreme downpour, and another £29 million in Elgin.
While some parts of the region experienced flooding, far wider misery was only avoided thanks to the five purpose-built schemes across Moray.
Met Office statistics show 122mm of rain fell near Elgin in 35 hours on August 10 and 11, with 16.6mm in just one hour. Average rainfall for the whole of August is normally 55mm.
"This was a remarkable event, and perhaps the flood schemes masked the severity of it," consultancy manager Dave Gowans said during a meeting of the economic development and infrastructure services committee on Tuesday.
"In Elgin, we had an event which was the second worst in the last 40 or 50 years – and we were still able to contain it. That was despite the Landshut Bridge only having one channel open.
"Similarly, at Findhorn, we would have had substantial damage had the scheme not been in place … the second biggest event since records began.
"I can’t understate just how severe that would have been.
"In total, the schemes have now averted £86 million worth of damage, which is a 50% return on investment already."
The council estimates that 1,120 homes and 153 businesses were saved from flooding in August.
For more on this story, see this week's 'Northern Scot' print edition.
