Institution of Civil Engineers East Midlands Merit Awards 2024
The Derwent Scour Hole project won the Small Project Award. This was a unique project located in the Peak District National Park that complemented the natural landscape while maintaining the critical asset for years to come.
We at Binnies, along with our partners, attended the award ceremony on 7 June in Nottingham, where our collaborative work with Severn Trent, Coffey and Nicholas O’Dwyer to deliver this project was recognised by the Small Project Award.
A 210 m³ scour hole had formed at the inlet of the Ashop intake on the side of Derwent Reservoir basin. If left, this would have started to have a critical impact on Derwent Reservoir as a useable asset. Works carried out approximately 30 years ago to install a new inlet channel changed the flow of water into the reservoir, causing the scouring. This project, which involved filling the hole and creating a wall to prevent further scouring and undermining, took place from August to October 2023. The hole was filled with over 450 tonnes of aggregate, and a new inlet spillway was constructed.
Severn Trent Business Lead Paul Spiby said: “The whole team came together seamlessly as if they were one organisation working together to complete the project on time and safely. The finished project complements the natural landscape and historic significance of the site.”
Binnies Designer Richard Terrell said: “The project was driven by all aspects of sustainability to protect the environment and minimise project impacts. The whole project delivered a biodiversity net gain of 17%. One contribution to this was through the rockbags and gabions, which provide valuable habitats for invertebrates, as gaps within the stones mimic the natural environment. I’m also proud of the successful stakeholder liaison, which ensured the Dambusters memorial was kept open to visitors throughout the project. Everyone on the team shared the same vision, resulting in a positive outcome.”