River Defence Committee

The Alde and Ore Association set up the River Defence Committee in April 2007 at a time when the Association was the forerunner locally in pressing for additional Government expenditure on flood defences.

The Association produces an annual photographic report on the state of the river defences (available below). These reports are sent to the Environment Agency to help them assess their capital and maintenance budgets for the following year. Additional reports are produced after a major event such as the tidal surges that occurred in November 2007 and more recently on the night of 5/6th December 2013. The latter was, in many parts of the river, greater than the devastating surge experienced in 1953. Significant damage was experienced particularly on the coastal defences at Slaughden, Hazlewood Marsh was totally inundated and remains so and Snape village had catastrophic damage with 27 houses being badly flooded.

Our estuary and rivers, along with the coastline are the defining natural features for our region. We all share a responsibility to look after them so that future generations can enjoy their unique character, as we in our turn have been privileged to do. By joining the Association today you can help support us in our efforts to keep this estuary as it is. This will ensure that our local economy, homes and livelihoods are not simply washed out to sea.