During our one and two day river excursions our River Guides endeavour to relay interesting items of information covering many aspects concerning the river.
It was to this end that an informative visit was arranged with the Environment Agency to visit Kennett & Wixoe pumping stations
Without delving into greater technical details, the following will explain how these pumping stations play such an important part of the lives of Essex & Suffolk people.

Despite snow blizzards, on the 13th February 2010 the RSB Minibus and several cars set off to Kennett which is between Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket at exit 39 on the A14.
Our party of 15 volunteer guides were warmly welcomed by Andrew Baker Environment Monitoring Team Leader. After a very welcomed hot beverage he proceeded to explain the story of the drainage of the Fens, the Ouse Flood Protection Scheme and most beneficial to us the Ely Ouse Essex Water Transfer Scheme which is generally known as the Denver Project which was televised during 2009 by the BBC
For centuries great efforts had been made to ensure some of the finest agricultural land in England namely the Fens
have been kept flood free. Today there are 3 main sluices which are used to discharge flood water out of the Ely Ouse into the tidal River Ouse
But this can only be done when the water in the tidal river is lower than the water in the Ely Ouse.
The inpouring sluice is the one that transfers surplus water via the Blackdyke Farm intake to Kennett and subsequently onto the Essex Region.
A Ministry of Housing and Local Government study in 1964, high lighted future problems with water supply in the 1970 in the South of Essex due to massive development. The solution was to transfer surplus water from the Ely Ouse to the head waters of the Essex rivers, thus increasing their flows and making extra water available

	From Denver the water is sent in a reverse direction approximately 25km south east to Black Dyke, Feltwell where it is drawn of into a 20km long tunnel which terminates at Kennett. The water is then pumped from the tunnel and through a 14km long pipeline to the River Stour at Kirling Green, a further part of this discharge is drawn off at Wixoe 13km down stream and pumped 10km to the River Pant and subsequently into the Blackwater. From leaving Denver the water travels 141km to Abberton Reservoir south of Colchester and 148km to the Hanningfield Reservoir near to Chelmsford, two thirds of this distance use is made of existing watercourse (ie: rivers)
Another set of Sluice Gates built as part of the Ely Ouse Transfer Scheme
	Although no pumps were working during our visit to Kennett, during the very wet winter period the reservoirs were obviously full. We were given a tour of the site and shown the concrete circular sleeve used to build the tunnel through which a person could walk upright.
River Stour Boating members visiting the Pumping Room at Kennett.

To complete our educational tour Andrew Baker offered to take our party to Wixoe Pumping Station on the Stour near Haverhill
Built at the same time as Kennett it was a much grander building with pleasant surroundings, we were then to learn that Her Majesty the Queen officially had opened the Ely Ouse Essex Water Transfer Scheme at Wixoe.
To conclude, it is only due to the forward thinking of a few people in the 1960's that has secured our tap water which flows today, we owe them our sincere thanks.

Written by G. Davies
Acknowledgement to the Environment Agency for the use of their photographs