Remedies identified to ease Moniack Burn flooding

Immediate and longer term solutions to ease the impact of flooding, which has resulted in the temporary closure of the A 862 road between Inverness and Beauly, were discussed at a meeting today (Wednesday).

In attendance at the Phipps Hall in Beauly were councillors and officials of The Highland Council,  local landowners and a representative from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

The flooding has been caused by the collapse of a land drainage culvert, built in 1838 and situated half a mile downstream from the road, which has blocked the local drainage system. This has resulted in widespread flooding of neighbouring farmland and caused a deep pool of water to gather on the A 862 road near the former Kirkhill police station at the Moniack junction.

Traffic is being diverted via the village of Kirkhill and this will continue until work is undertaken to drain the fields and clear the road of flooding.

The responsibility for remedial work lies primarily with local landowners but the Council has agreed to work closely with them because of the impact on the public road and will fund a proportion of the cost.

Ward 13 (Aird and Loch Ness) Councillor Drew Hendry, who chaired the meeting, was pleased that the meeting had agreed a range of measures to tackle the local flooding problem.

He said:  “Accounts from local people suggest this is the worst incidence of flooding in living memory.  The collapse of the long established culvert means there is no quick fix.  However, we have agreed a number of short, medium and longer term actions to help ease the threat of future flooding. 

“While this is principally an issue for local landowners, the Council is working very closely with them to identify remedies and I am sure we will help wherever we can.”

A priority, he said, is to get the road open again as quickly as possibly, recognising that it is a primary route to the Black Isle Show, Muir of Ord, being held on Thursday 3 August and the Belladrum Festival on Saturday 6 August.

Councillor Helen Carmichael, who also attended the meeting, said: "Bringing everyone together today has meant work can begin immediately on the major problem with the flooding. However, it took six days for the water level to build up and it may take the same time to drain away."

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