Did you know?
Only four per cent of flooding on roads is caused by blocked gullies and drains and it mainly happens when heavily silted surface water runs off land next to roads.
What we are doing to help stop flooding
Over the last few years we’ve worked hard to alleviate and tackle flooding across the borough.
We’ve worked with and listened to residents, businesses and stakeholders to identify and address issues at known hotspots.
In response, a number of large-scale schemes and initiatives designed to ensure property, homes and roads aren’t damaged by flooding have been carried out.
These works include:
Completed 2018 and 2019 flood mitigation or drainage improvement schemes
- Broomes Park
- Diggle Retaining wall scheme
- New Barn Playing Fields, Shaw
- Waterhead Park, Watersheddings
- Stoneleigh Park (Rosedale Close)
- Westhulme Way - deep culvert repairs
- Wrigley head Crescent
- Haven Lane (junction with Turf Pit Lane
- Warren Lane (Junction with Flowery Bank)
- Blair Close
- Knowl Top Lane
- Ripponden Rd Culvert (Adjacent to Bishop Park Driving range)-
- Crossley Street
- Buckstones Park
- Butterhouse Lane
- Grains Road, Shaw
Under Construction
- Huddersfield Road Flood Mitigation Scheme £695,000 (Environmental Agency funded)
Revenue Works
Periodical clearing of council owned debris screen culverts protecting properties in Uppermill, Greenfield and Royton from internal property (habitable space) flooding
At the following locations:
- Medlock Road
- Ladcastle Road
- Golburn Clough
- Shaws Lane
On top of these major works we also carry out close monitoring of our highways network and check the weather 24-hours a day, seven days a week to help us plan if there is going to heavy rain.
Once we receive a weather warning our teams will go to roads that we know are susceptible to flooding and carry out a sweep of the gullies and drains in advance as even a small amount of leaves can block them.
This is in addition to our day-to-day gully cleaning work, which ensures we attempt to clean every at least once a year, in line with highways good practice.
If we do receive a report that a road has flooded, then we have staff and equipment ready day and night to react to the situation.
Sometimes we may have to close a road if the carriageway is flooded but we will always reopen it as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you own land in the borough you can also do your bit to help stop flooding by working with us to ‘slow the flow’.
Over the last few years we’ve been busy planting thousands of trees across the borough – and this is set to continue.
It’s part of our campaign to build natural defences against flooding, working alongside ongoing infrastructure improvements to structures, culverts and bridges.
The extra trees will help ensure less flooding of homes and property while also supporting and improving the environment and landscape.
Landowners can join us and plant trees on their land.
There is funding available to pay for the trees and help will be provided via the council, and our partner agencies.
If you would like more information about how you could get involved email slowtheflow@oldham.gov.uk
Flood risks
Oldham has roads named such as Spring Street and Culvert Street, which means there is lots of water under the surface
It also means there are some areas that are liable to flood if it rains heavy.
We’re working on solutions to help ease the issues at a number of locations across the borough:
Flooding Wet Spots
| Location | Description |
|---|---|
| Stannybrook Road, Failsworth | Detailed design being completed to ensure that the road quickly drains after the overtopping river has subsided. |
| Salmon Fields, Royton | Temporary works completed. Due the existence of a high pressurized gas main, utility owner liaisons being undertaken in order to identify a viable long-term solution. |
| Chew Valley Road, Manchester Road, Holmfirth Lane, Greenfield | Flooding water is mainly from a private culverted watercourse which surcharges and flows onto Holmfirth Road. Riparian owner has been instructed to control water within the boundaries of their land by installing bund. In addition, an EA funded scheme – Valley Mews is being applied for. |
| Haven Lane, Oldham | Flooding at this location is from private and is currently being monitored. |
| Platting Road, Scouthead | Currently under investigation and being monitored. |
| Platt Lane, Delph / Dobcross | Surface water runoff flooding from adjacent farm land. Situation being monitored and investigated. |