Working with Nature

Both these pictures were taken approximately 2.5 kilometers from the river’s source at a brief time of high water, and demonstrate, how the banks and a river’s course can be controlled and modeled by semi permanent or temporary means.

　

In the first picture the old tree stump serves to pinch the river on the left-hand bank to cause a speeding in current flow and a deepening along the right-hand flanks of the river for a considerably long way, as clearly indicated by the flow’s lines and string of bubbles as the water breaks.

When this part of the river is running back to its normal level, the gentle slope of silt along the left hand bank is revealed and the river course remains to the right hand side within the deeper channel.


The second photograph, was taken further up stream where the banks are more vertical and as you can see, there is an obstacle (rock) directly in front of the tree to cause pinching below the high (current) surface in water levels. While this and the tree are insufficient to alter the centerline of the river’s flow, they do however, cause the currents running (left to right in the shot) alongside the bank, to physically eddy and flow back upstream; undercutting and hollowing out the riverbank for a good few metres.

Again, when this part of the river is back to its normal levels, the vertical banks will remain, with the linear cave (now approximately 25cm x 3metres) suspended midway up the bank.

While these examples detail view able changes (to be seen at the surface) that have been made by Nature. It is this aspect, of achieving a variety of flow results, through the remodeling and the shaping of river bank and bed profiles, that Coldstream’r has been designed to assist with, in providing a new provision to the management of rivers and ultimately flood prevention.

Utilising new innovative techniques, in creating and sculpting semi permanent underwater features, refining, and or removing temporary modeling features (in targeted areas) throughout the seasons; Designed to, speed, slow, and or direct, changes in current and course, maximising the forces of Nature, toward and upon building a sustainable Flood Prevention Scheme.


 

"De-silting as they go"

Looking at the misery, financial losses and impact floods have upon community and the Environment, "de-silt as they go craft" may not be such a crazy idea.

Like the ColdStream’r craft, vessels can be design for purpose, tailored for their river environment, with the clear advantage of being able to work in areas where dredging bucket equipment cannot reach or go. With, a low above water profile and long reach, offering greater mobility and flexibility on route, such vessels will enable the management and control of sediment, directing it into deposit collection areas or sweeping it out to sea on prevailing currents.

I well imagine the lookout points of Burrow Mump, Burrow Hill and Glastonbury Tor, served well to direct work teams to various sections of water to managed individual defenses on a regular daily basis, in the times before dredging machines heralded in a more lazy approach to river management.

With modern technology (powered by renewable wind and solar Energy) the Levels can once again be managed economically on such a daily basis; with sedimentation kept on the move and not allowed to build up in unwanted places.

This more gentle daily management will minimise effects upon Wildlife, improving the quality of water in stagnated areas, ensuring minimal damage from foreign objects and pollutants, while above all, ensuring that there is the capacity within the overall system to handle periods of adverse rainfall.


 

ColdStream'r "de-silt as they go"

Coldstream’r Project

With the view that Flood Prevention is a matter upon striking the right balance in the management of Catchment water under prevailing and forecasted conditions.

The ColdSream’r Project is to create a fully automated, Proactive, Environment friendly, high-tech solution towards Flood Prevention. Utilising new technology, and the ability provided by a fleet of Coldstream'r drone watercraft, being developed to patrol, maintain, and manage waterway networks, with new Energy efficient (mechanical) techniques and monitoring, to advance and arrest situations at localised and regional levels.

Proactive by nature, once in place, the ColdStream’r system working 24/7 (all year round) will be able to identify any localised areas at high risk within its overall assessment. Enabling focused vessel deployment, for on the spot preventative de-silting works and other corrective measures to be undertaken instantaneously, prior to and in answer to forecasts in periods of inclement extremes.

The prime aim being; To provide the most accurate, least invasive, cost effective, management and maintainence possible. A system run on Renewable Energy that works with Nature to the benefit of Community, Business and Environment.

Further more, given the level in detail of correlated information that would become available; It will enable some evaluation of the possible consequences regarding proposals on new Inland Development Schemes, highlighting where there may be need for a levy or rebate within the granting of Planning Permission.

In theory, such a system would not only protect existing land mass, but could effectively assist in creating new areas of usable land, to address the aspect of the areas along the shoreline being lost to the sea.

 

Artist impression showing a ColdStream'r Flood Prevention vessel working 24/7 even on busy rivers.

 

ColdStream'r vessels could also assist in Lake management, or as a valuable tool for hands on search and rescue situations, with divers swimming and working along side.

 

 

 

Seeking Investors

Confident in the ability to good design and engineering, we are currently seeking Investment to get this new and pioneering Flood Prevention Equipment project launched.

So Sad

So sad to see the struggle in Somerset

In my opinion there was no excuse not to dredge the upper tidal reaches of Parrett and Tone. When we lived there, there was a promise made verbally in a meeting with EA (held at the Pigeons pub before it closed) that they would monitor the situation having decided upon a silt aggitation process rather than removal, and to dredge if the aggitation process was not performing sufficiently too protect the homes in that region.. The failure seems pretty obvious to me. Yes the EA do a wonderful job over all, but within that some failure has occurred.

The policy towards holding water in catchment areas slowing the flow on high ground before it reaches populated areas seems sensible, but holding it for too long in the Lowlands is pretty foolish to my mind, as it then only increases the risks upon the populated areas because there is to much water surrounding them! (While I'm not the brightest spark, that aspect upon water levels is seen by children every summer building sand castles on a sandy beach as the tide comes in!)

 

 

New Levels

England has changed dramatically since the days of "Little Holland" and today's way of life perhaps calls for a reinvention and expansion of that region.

The Levels have sadly settled over the years while the sea is gently rising due to climate change, and with flood waters effecting many more communities in Somerset, dredging deeper may not solve the problems.

Along side this, many other areas are affected by the rivers flowing into the Severn Estuary, so perhaps the responsibility falls upon better management on a larger scale, and the fore sight to expand usable land mass in a sensible and sustainable way; rather than continuing in the obviously failing, age old knee jerk reactions, that continue to absorb finances and drain the economy in the western regions.

With the rising population, housing problems and tax hikes within a bound up economy; It appears ludicrous to think about a multitude of isolated quick fix experimental localised flood protection schemes, that offer little by way of any guarantee in success or profitable long term return upon such investment; before being ruined by surrounding urban developments or the wants to invest in faster modes of transport between the major cities.

Surely, it makes more fiscal, and economic sense, to install a purpose built Energy Barrier across the Severn Estuary, with the ability to manage passage and the Natural Environment on a daily basis relative to the whole scale in situation.

Effectively, creating economic growth and development with a larger, manageable flood protection scheme, that has the ability to protect a vast area, while being sustainable through contributing Energy into the National grid for a foreseeable future.


 

Hold a Hand

 

It took a few attempts to capture the model moving with an apparent static left hand in a single shot