The Broads Authority’s partners from the Netherlands, Belgium and France visited the Broads this week to discuss further research into innovative solutions for dredging, treatment and reusing sediment.
The Authority hosted the bi-annual meeting for PRISMA (Promoting Integrated Sediment Management) which is bringing £800,000 of European money into the Broads to improve sustainable ways of dredging.
The project involves sharing expertise with partners in the Netherlands, Belgium and France. On Thursday 31st May the partners, their consultants, and Broads Authority Members viewed the innovative work to recreate a lost reed bed at Duck Broad by reusing dredged sediment from Heigham Sound.
They travelled aboard two cruisers from Herbert Woods of Potter Heigham with a Broads Authority launch to Duck Broad where experts described the project. They then inspected new flood defence works completed by Broadland Environmental Services Limited for the Environment Agency at Boundary Farm, Thurne.
William Coulet, PRISMA Project Manager with the Broads Authority, said : “The four partners have all embarked on similar dredging projects but in different environments, using different equipment and different skills. We have a lot to learn and share with each other.”
The PRISMA European partners are Waterways and Seacanal in Belgium, Waterboard of Schieland and Krimpenerwaard in the Netherlands and Ecole d’Armines acting through Centre de Douai, France.
