Working with landowners in the Langdon Hills, we want to hold water on farmland for longer to reduce flood risk in Stanford-le-Hope and improve water quality by installing leaky dams with mycelium. Leaky dams are porous barriers that slow the flow of water, reducing flood risks downstream. Mycelium is a root-like fungus that we hope will improve how well the leaky dams work and help with the filtration of water.
A number of leaky dams in ditches across this site are currently proposed. Whether these all get built depends on our engagement with landowners and our assessments using computer simulation modelling.
High-level modelling software will help us determine where to put the dams, how many to have and the distance between them. Stage monitors will record how they affect the natural flow of the water. A weather station will also be installed in the Langdon Hills to record rainfall including storm intensity.
Results from this site will be linked with the leaky dams embedded with mycelium at Belfairs Wood. Linking similar sites across catchments allows us to assess how effective, repeatable and applicable measures are to other surrounding areas and the rest of the country.