BBC News, Suffolk says: (link) A footbridge damaged after heavy rain is to be restored as part of a longer-term plan to protect the area from the “increasing challenges” of drought and flooding.

The Hawkeswade Bridge at Ufford, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, forms part of a popular route for walkers beside the River Deben but has been out of bounds since April.

Persistent rain had caused a weir structure to fall away, which in turn caused the bridge to partially collapse and water to flow on to surrounding land.

At the time, the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust said it created “significant damage to habitats along a large stretch of the river”.

The weir breach caused a water-filled crater known as Ufford Hole to drain on to surrounding land.

Water levels in the Deben dropped by more than a metre as water flowed down a side channel towards the East Suffolk rail line, and the downstream channel was left in puddles.

Councils and a consortium of landowners and farmers have worked with the Environment Agency and others to form an action plan, with restoration of the footpath deemed a “top priority”.

Preparation work is expected to begin by early autumn as a first step to reopen a route described as “well-used and much-loved”.

The parish councils of Ufford, Melton and Bromeswell said the dried-out channel from Old Melton Mill to Ufford Hole would be cleared this month to allow water to flow back to the mill.

“Looking further ahead, the project aims not only to restore the footpath but to improve the resilience of the surrounding landscape,” their statement added.

“Plans are being developed to help protect the footpath, neighbouring farmland and the railway from the increasing challenges of winter flooding and summer drought.”

The broader plan required “significant” additional funding, it added, with possible opportunities for people who “value this special area” to support the project.

Statement from representatives from Bromeswell, Melton and Ufford Parish Councils who attended a meeting on Tuesday 4th August

Following the current Chair-elect taking a job abroad, the Deben Estuary Partnership is seeking a new Chair.  If you are interested in finding out more about the role, do please contact the DEP Vice-Chair at Vice-Chair@debenestuarypartnership.org

The work of the Chair

The Chair’s work is essentially about leading and representing the organisation from within. In simple terms there are 4 SG meetings a year, including an AGM, but in reality, it is about gently directing the Partnership’s activity and a broader representational role of engaging with all the stakeholders and agencies. This is leadership with ‘soft power’. Everyone involved with the river and the estuary are, without exception, deeply passionate about safeguarding the estuary for generations to come. There is a very strong sense of community and service, but it is also a very disparate community, that does need to have a sense of collaboration and cohesion. Vested interests are all very well, but the Chair must make sure that all parties in the Partnership pull together to a common aim, and that the organisation is perceived as being strong, unified, relevant and respected.

More information is contained within the document ‘The Role of the DEP Chair’

A beautifully illustrated account of a Deben Estuary Partnership research initiative that was facilitated by the Environment Agency’s 3Cs fund and co-ordinated by Helene Burningham, Professor of Physical Geography UCL and Simon Read, Associate Professor of Fine Art, Middlesex University London and Deben Estuary Partnership trustee.

The project sought to identify strategies for community engagement on the Deben estuary and adjacent coastline, encourage stewardship activities and a higher level of community participation in the estuary management process

The 3C‘s: Championing Coastal Coordination

Link to the new booklet

The Deben Estuary Partnership held its latest Quarterly Meeting Waldringfield Sailing Club on 12th March and viewed the erosion that has been successfully repaired.

For more information about the repairs, please see the 6th March RDA Journal item about erosion in the Estuary, at Bawdsey, Waldringfield and Ufford. https://www.riverdeben.org/rda-journal/erosion-on-the-deben-bawdsey-waldringfield-ufford/#more-10318