Why does Gainsborough need a flood scheme?
Gainsborough town lies low on the east bank of the lower tidal reach of the River Trent. This low lying position makes it particularly vulnerable to flooding when the spring tides coincide with high river levels. A flood relief scheme for the town was first established in the early 1950s after a major flood in 1947. It was built onto existing structures, some of which were already over 100 years old. An Asset Survey in the early 1990s concluded that many of the walls and their foundations needed urgent replacement before they collapsed. As a result a flood alleviation scheme (FAS) was commissioned.
