Provision of Watercourse Maintenance Services to Swale and Ure Drainage Board

Lot 1 (North) - denotes the land within the district in the area between Catterick, Boroughbridge and Ingleby Cross, In any given financial year a total of 100-120Km of maintenance will be conducted across the lot.

The works comprise maintenance of the ordinary watercourses in the current year’s maintenance scheme confirmed by the Board, Routine works consist of;

•Flail Mowing - grass, weeds and other growths from both batters.

•De-weeding - of grass, weeds and other growths from the bed of the drain.

•De-silting - of gravel, silt and weed growth from the bed of the drain as a result of an accumulation of gravel or silt (when specified)

•Reporting and recording by photograph bank stability, structure problems and internal culvert/ bridge blockages to the Engineer or Asset Manager.

•Bank stabilisation by regrading, piling or willow spiling techniques.

•Brashing - Removal of tree/bush/hedge overgrowth growing within the profile and section of the watercourse affecting the flow or access to other maintenance operations.

•Removal of mature trees, cutting and stacking on site or burning as agreed with the landowner.

•Hand labour or special machinery - to implement any parts of above items 1-6 due to lack of standard machine access.

•Inspection of fixed assets (Pumping Station, screens, flood valves etc.)

At any visit to a watercourse or reach of a watercourse only the works necessary to bring the channel and banks into satisfactory condition to allow passage of flows is to be executed. Particular care should be taken to avoid over-deepening of channels and undermining of the banks. Works carried out should be catalogued with photographic evidence.

Lot 2 (South) - denotes the land within the IDB district between Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Kirk Hammerton, In any given Financial year a total of 50-60Km of maintenance works will be undertaken within the area.

The works comprise maintenance of the ordinary watercourses in the current year’s maintenance scheme confirmed by the Board, Routine works consist of;

•Flail Mowing - grass, weeds and other growths from both batters.

•De-weeding - of grass, weeds and other growths from the bed of the drain.

•De-silting - of gravel, silt and weed growth from the bed of the drain as a result of an accumulation of gravel or silt (when specified)

•Reporting and recording by photograph bank stability, structure problems and internal culvert/ bridge blockages to the Engineer or Asset Manager.

•Bank stabilisation by regrading, piling or willow spiling techniques.

•Brashing - Removal of tree/bush/hedge overgrowth growing within the profile and section of the watercourse affecting the flow or access to other maintenance operations.

•Removal of mature trees, cutting and stacking on site or burning as agreed with the landowner.

•Hand labour or special machinery - to implement any parts of above items 1-6 due to lack of standard machine access.

•Inspection of fixed assets (Pumping Station, screens, flood valves etc.)

At any visit to a watercourse or reach of a watercourse only the works necessary to bring the channel and banks into satisfactory condition to allow passage of flows is to be executed. Particular care should be taken to avoid over-deepening of channels and undermining of the banks. Works carried out should be catalogued with photographic evidence.