Sluice gate protecting homes and wildlife gets refit

A £9.7m project will help extend the life of a sluice gate, which protects homes, businesses and habitats from flooding.

The Dunball Sluice started life in 1971 and is used by the Environment Agency to control water flows across the Somerset Levels and Moors.

The agency has upgraded some mechanical elements of the gate, including measures to help otters and eels move more easily between water courses.

The sluice can block the flow of tidal saltwater from the River Parrett into the nearby King's Sedgemoor Drain, which protects freshwater habitats, as well as control water levels to reduce flooding.

Rachel Burden, Environment Agency flood and coastal risk manager for Wessex, said: "Dunball Sluice is one of Somerset's most important tidal defence assets, but many of its key components were reaching the end of their working life.

"This multi-million-pound refurbishment has breathed new life into the structure, ensuring it can continue to reduce flood risk for communities for years to come."

Floods Minister Emma Hardy said: "The Dunball Sluice is critical infrastructure better protecting properties and farmland in Somerset, and its full refurbishment will give local people and businesses confidence that their flood defences are operating well for the next 25 years."

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