Storm Bert breaches Stover Canal

The canal, River Teign and an unused railway line all run parallel in a section of the valley near Kingsteignton. Heavy rain building up in the canal and on land to the west of the railway embankment caused some 60 metres of canal embankment south of Teign Bridge to collapse. The water flowed into an adjoining clay pit owned and operated by Sibelco.

A similar length of railway embankment also collapsed. The Templer Way pedestrian route along the canal towpath, and the Stover Trail for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, on the western side of the railway, have both been washed away.

For background, the railway and canal are owned by Network Rail, with the canal leased to Teignbridge Council and sub-leased to the Stover Canal Trust which is working on its restoration. The railway has been non-operational for some years and there is now concern as to whether Network Rail will try to use the occasion to close it permanently.

The Stover Canal Trust is an IWA corporate member. Its Chairman, Paul Taper, shared his initial assessments: "It is clearly early days, and needless to say, the costs will be considerable. One of the first actions will be to rebuild the canal embankment, which may need piling etc. to make it strong and watertight. The water in the quarry pit will need to be tested by the Environment Agency for contamination and, only if suitable, can be pumped back into the canal and river. Pumping time is estimated at nine months due to the sheer volume of water involved.

"The railway embankment will need to be rebuilt if flood water is to be retained on its western side. Both the Templer Way, along the canal towpath, and the Stover Trail, to the west of the railway, will need to be reinstated."

Additional damage was done to the canal north of Teign Bridge. Stover Canal Trust volunteers held an ad hoc work party shortly after the storm and made good the damage to two footbridges and some of the towpath on the northern half of the canal.

A meeting was held between Sibelco, Stover Canal Trust, the Environment Agency, Teignbridge District Council and Devon County Council to discuss the issues regarding pumping out the quarry and preventing it from happening again. Network Rail were invited but did not attend the meeting. Further update meetings will be held at two monthly intervals.

Aerial photo of the devastation several days after Storm Bert. To the left the railway track hangs loose. The line of the canal can just be made out in the centre, running immediately parallel to the track. The flooded clay pit lies to the right, having been filled through a breach in the canal embankment. (Photo: David Abel)