WITH reference to Mark Lloyd’s letter over flooding at Earith (January 23).
The flooding has been far worse than it was 20 years ago and instead of building up banks the sensible thing is to dredge the Hundred Food river, which has not been done for years and is the main cause of flooding at Earith being so slow to clear.
The modern approach to flooding is spending millions on raising banks to protect properties, the Environment Agency not realising that the deeper the river the faster the flow, the shallower the river the slower the flow.
The practice in the old days was to scarify the river causing the silt to be washed down to the sea.
It is sad that a thousand men dug this river and we, with all our modern equipment allow it to get so shallow. In 1756 over a thousand barges came up this river. Today it would be difficult to get one.
W B CARTER
Meadow Lane
Hemingford Abbots
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here