Keen-eyed readers of the News wondered why a ditch near Mariners Village pond is being covered by tarp-like material, and we’ve got the answer – ditch cleaning.
These pieces of “tarp” were spotted last week. But as it turns out, it wasn’t tarp at all.
Instead, it is a two-feet high slit fencing that was recently installed near the ditch to prevent sediment and vegetation from falling back into the water after they were removed.
Andrea Lee, spokesperson for the City of Richmond, said members of the community may be confusing the fencing as tarp.
“Ditch cleaning is the process of taking an excavator bucket and removing all the excess sediment and vegetation that has settled/grown in the middle of the ditch,” said Lee.
“Heavy vegetation and debris can impact flow in the ditches critical to flood mitigation in the area.”
The whole cleaning process will take seven working days and finish by the end of Friday, Lee added.
Once the ditch has been cleaned, it will be restored to its full draining capacity.
“All work is being completed with full time on-site monitoring by a qualified environmental professional to ensure aquatic wildlife and birds are protected.”
