Taming the River Exe
Exeter City flood relief
There has been no flooding within Exeter since the flood relief scheme was engineered and completed in 1977. In the years before that time the low lying areas of the city were regularly flooded.
The scheme
Work began in 1973 with a relief channel running for a mile to straighten the river.
This was followed by the new Exe Bridges after the old ones had been swept away in a flood. There are cycle and pathways along the river to the quayside.
Now when the river level rises the water can pour over weirs down the relief channel.
Submitted by: Andrew Hunt, 11 January 2004
