A MEETING to help Bradford Council understand how it can control water flowing down from Ilkley Moor into the valleys has been staged on the outskirts of Oakworth.

Representatives from the council met up with catchment strategy manager Andrew Walker, of Yorkshire Water, at Higher Intake Farm yesterday morning.

The council wants to find out what can be done to prevent homes and businesses being flooded by rainwater spilling off the moors. Among those present at the meeting was Bradford Council rights of way officer Danny Jackson and executive member for planning, regeneration and transport, Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw.

Cllr Ross-Shaw said: “It was a positive meeting and there were plenty of ideas we could take away and hopefully replicate.

“It won’t be a quick process, but we need to do this now if we are to plan for the future. It’s a problem which has a large number of possible solutions, including learning best practice in moorland management from external organisations. Natural flood management will help to complement the engineering work we’re carrying out to repair flood damage and enhance flood resilience in the district. Flood alleviation will form part of the overall Ilkley Moor Management Plan which will be going out for public consultation.”

He added that the meeting concentrated on seeing what Yorkshire Water does to control water flow on the land surrounding its own reservoirs, to determine whether the council can emulate this on Ilkley Moor to protect communities in the valleys below during heavy rainfall.

He said techniques it uses showed what can be done to control the speed and quantity of water flow, demonstrating how land can be made to soak up extra water and release it slowly.

He said measures outlined include use of peat or plastic dams, and planting absorbent sphagnum moss, cotton and other grasses alongside dwarf shrubs to soak up excess water.

Yorkshire Water manager of asset strategy, Granville Davies, said: “Andy [Walker] has been promoting peatland restoration, which as well as improving water quality has the added benefit of improving retention of water within the moorland. We’re also looking at other potential measures to reduce water run-off, such as woodland planting and wooden dams to help slow down water flow.”