Fears had previously been expressed regarding an overflow system in Tenby, before emergency works began on a breach to a main river culvert at the seaside town’s South Beach.
Emergency exploratory works are being carried out by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) on a breach to a main river culvert with a section of the beach closed off and parts of the car park.
Contractors started the first exploratory stage of the work on Thursday, March 14, to establish the extent of the issue.
The investigation and subsequent repair work will prevent flowing water from the Afon Ritec surfacing on South Beach.
Without intervention, the breach has the capacity to cause ecological damage and a pose a risk to the public.
NRW became aware of the issue on Monday, February 26 when a member of the public reported water flowing across the beach.
Jared Gethin, Project Executive, for NRW, said: “People can expect to see heavy machinery on South Beach in Tenby over the next few days as our team of contractors carry out exploratory works to identify the root cause of the surfacing flows, flagged by the public.
“The NRW-managed culvert conveying the Afon Ritec is thought to have ruptured at a point before its usual sea outfall. During high river levels, surfacing water on South Beach is evident and currently scouring a channel along the beach.
“Without emergency intervention the rupture presents risks to the ecology of the area, which is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, to the health and safety of beach-goers and potentially lead to an increased risk of flooding.
“Once we uncover the extent of the culvert breach, we will then be able to work out the best solution and proceed with repair work immediately.”
County councillor for Tenby’s North Ward, Cllr Michael Williams said that fears had previously been expressed to NRW over deteriorating culvert structures in the locality, when meeting with the organisation over flooding issues for the town, following recent storms.
“When Cllr Rhys Jordan [county councillor for St Florence and Gumfreston] and I met recently with NRW we did express our concern that the culvert structure might be deteriorating,” said Cllr Williams.
“I further pointed out that if this structure was to fail there would be serious issues not only for low level areas in Tenby such as Quarry Cottages, The Green area and lower St Johns Hill - but the entire Ritec valley.
“We further suggested that a new culvert might be constructed as an overflow system at a level that would only operate when flood levels were reached thus preventing the current situation of annual flooding. My understanding was that this suggestion would be investigated. It appears that the fears that we raised were legitimate.
“A major contributory factor is the infilling of the natural flood plain over many years from Kiln Park to the Salterns industrial estate and building in The Clicketts area, this erosion appears to be ongoing and must be stopped,” he added.
With some diversions and closures in place in South Beach car park and on the beach itself, NRW urges people to adhere to those for everyone’s safety.
The works are scheduled to take between two days to one week, dependent on the outcome of this week’s exploratory stage.
Afon Ritec was culverted in the latter half of the 19th Century when a railway extension, connecting Tenby to the Great Western mainline at Whitland, was completed.