Through the development of a flood risk management strategy for the Upper Garnock area, we’ve provided flood mitigation options that will extend flood protection to 600 properties at risk of flooding in Kilbirnie, Glengarnock and Dalry, Scotland.
The Upper Garnock Valley has a long history of flooding dating back to the 1890s. Working closely with North Ayrshire Council we’ve created multiple flood mitigation options to reduce flood risk in the area that will bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the local communities.
One of the proposed flood mitigation options is an embankment dam (300m long and 12m high) with associated spillway, coarse screen, flow control and culvert at a site located directly north of Kilbirnie. The proposed dam will provide a unique and innovative solution by incorporating an upstream geosynthetic clay membrane as the waterproof element, which was considered to provide the most cost-effective solution based on a lack of suitable material available on site or nearby to construct a traditional central clay core. The embankment has been designed to be grass-covered upstream and downstream to reduce the impact on the landscape and allow overtopping by the provision of grass-filled modular concrete block protection to provide a reinforced grass chute.