Sir, May I canvass your readers of a potential outfall from Oxford’s Western Conveyance Channel plan that has not surfaced in the press coverage. The projected increase in volume flow at Sandford Lock will impact on Abingdon’s flood defences in several ways.

While I applaud the funding for household defences, I fear Abingdon’s floodplain has received little attention. It is essential that floodplains work effectively and this should include efficient drainage after the peak flow has passed. Higher river levels are expected to utilise the floodplain defence but ceasing the dredging of the Thames at Abingdon has had a cumulative impact, evident now with silting up, erosion of the river bank and a reduced capacity to deal with river water flow.

Consequently there has been an increased use of the floodplain at Abingdon in recent years. Owners of land adjoining the river have ‘riparian’ responsibilities to maintain existing drainage culverts as well as the riverbank. It would appear that the Environment Agency has been lax in overseeing and ensuring that these responsibilities have been performed by the landowners, who are generally the local town and district councils.

The outcome of this has been to allow drainage arrangements for the floodplain to fall into dilapidation and for flood waters to linger. Today walking through “The Rookery” and adjacent areas (land on the opposite bank across from St Helen’s Wharf), one can see ditches blocked with dumped tree trunks, detritus from several floods and fallen trees creating cesspools of stagnant water.

Further along the river bank, one can see blocked or ineffective drainage that also impair the floodplain drying out. Without remedial action, I foresee that further inundations of Abingdon’s floodplain will render Abingdon-on-Bog!

Alec J Inns

Boxhill Road

Abingdon