Burst pipe floods wildlife meadow for fourth time

A wildlife charity fears it may lose a funding grant after a burst pipe caused major flooding at a crucial conservation site. Long Mead Local Wildlife Site, located near the River Thames in Oxfordshire, has suffered four flooding incidents due to mains failures. Although the meadow naturally floods in winter, standing water during summer can harm the rare habitat.

Catriona Bass, director of the Long Mead Foundation, expressed concern over the latest flooding, which is already starting to stagnate. Floodplain meadows are typically not supposed to flood in summer, as it can kill off growing plants. The site is vital for a restoration program aiming to expand this specialized habitat across the country.

There are only four square miles of floodplain meadow in the entire nation. This habitat is home to deep-rooting wild flowers and grasses like great burnet and devil's-bit scabious. Long Mead meadow serves as a seed donor site, helping to restore other similar habitats in Oxfordshire. Volunteers have successfully hand-grown over 11,500 specialist plants.

The recent flooding was discovered on the day restoration works were scheduled to begin following the previous incident. Conservationists fear their secured grant might be jeopardized if the work cannot be completed on time. A Thames Water spokesperson apologized for the disruption and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting local wildlife sites.

The repair took longer than expected due to heavy rainfall and high water volume, delaying the access and repair of the pipework. Thames Water will continue to evaluate the water main's condition and explore additional measures to safeguard the area in the future.