Construction of a new spillway on the Rochdale Canal that will reduce flood risk to homes and businesses west of Todmorden will begin next week.
The £500,000 Environment Agency scheme will take about 18 weeks to complete and will complement the £11 million final phase of the Todmorden flood alleviation scheme, completed last year.
Janice Friend, Environment Agency Project Manager said: “ This project will address one of the remaining causes of flooding in Todmorden. It won’t remove the risk of flooding entirely, but it will reduce the likelihood of the level of disruption and damage which was seen in the valley in 2012 .”
The new spillway at Gauxholme has been designed with the purpose to channel water directly into Walsden Water if the canal overflows in periods of heavy rain.