The bottom of the lowest log, is just above the normal flow height, so it isn’t restricting any water flow in normal times. When we have periods of heavy rain and the water level in the water coarse rises it is held by these small dams to create small natural reservoirs to slow the flow of water down stream, potentially reducing the risk of flooding downstream.
As the waterflow reduces the dams release their captured water and gradually the flow of water in the stream returns to normal. The timber will also help to capture debris and silt higher up the water catchment, cleaning the water before it reaches some of the larger streams, in our case the Carrant Brook.
Our trial is over above Beckford Court Farm and so it should directly reduce the amount of water heading towards Beckford. In time, and if successful we will be rolling more of these out across the Estate, so if you see piles of logs in our streams don’t worry they are meant to be there.