Working with the Environment Agency and University of Southampton, the Soar Catchment Partnership has been taking a closer look at the sediment across the catchment area of the Willow Brook.

Sixty samples of sediment have been collected across the catchment from farms, river banks, towns and drains. The samples are being analysed to create ‘finger prints’ of the different soil types. These finger prints will be compared against the finger prints of sediment that accumulate in Willow Brook, Leicester, to the south of the catchment, contributing to issues such as flooding and blocked drains. It shows how important it is to explore the role natural solutions play in tackling issues such as flooding. You can read more about natural solutions and flooding in our recent blog.

The results of the sediment fingerprinting will help to decide where action should be targeted across the Soar in the future to store and hold sediment to prevent it from causing these problems downstream.

This exciting piece of work is being funded by Leicester and Leicestershire Local Economic Partnership and Leicester City Council. The Catchment Partnership was able to access this funding by identifying a business risk and proposing a solution which delivers environmental and economic benefits.