Spare a thought for two Worcester sporting venues where flooding is almost an annual event
Report by LAURENCE GALE MSc Severn UP!
THIS winter’s torrential rain has caused huge problems the length and breadth of the British Isles. Groundstaff and, in many cases, volunteers have been working overtime to ensure that fixtures are played and travelling fans are not disappointed. Whilst the rainfall has been exceptional this winter spare a though for two Worcester sporting venues where flooding is almost an annual event. Both Worcestershire County Cricket
Ground at New Road and Worcester Racecourse sit alongside the River Severn and, when she breaks her banks, it is not unusual for water levels to exceed 1.5 metres (5 feet) across the turf. On a recent visit to Worcester I caught up with both groundsmen; Tim Packwood at New Road and Andrew Bourton at Worcester Racecourse. You would think that there is not a lot they can do other than wait for the water to
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subside, but both are well practiced in ‘damage limitation’. This winter’s concern is that the floods, which arrived in mid December, were two months earlier than usual. At New Road, the speed at which the water comes into the ground is quite astonishing. Tim keeps an eye on the local flood warnings and knows that, when they move to red, it will only be a matter of hours before the ground is flooded! Tim has been with the Worcestershire CCC for well over 17 years and is well versed in the problems the floodwater brings. He and his staff prepare by removing all machinery and perishable goods to a safe haven. Smaller items, such as hand tools, fertilisers and seed are moved upstairs into storage, whilst all the main maintenance machinery - mowers, scarifyers, aerators and rollers - are moved to an off-site storage facility.
Some of the mowers will have been sent away for winter servicing and will not be returned until spring. Larger items, such as practice nets and wheel covers, remain on-site where they are made secure and left to face the floods. The final task is to install markers around the perimeter of the square so that staff know its location when the flood begins to reside.
The damage each flood brings is dependant on a number of factors; the severity of the flood, how long it lasts and the depth it reaches. The river usually breaks it banks on the south side of the ground flooding large tracts of land before making its way into the ground, bringing with it loads of debris. Damage cannot be calculated until the floodwater has subsided and the big clean up begins. The biggest problem for Tim is the silt left behind after the floods. He cannot afford to let the water
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