Ground investigation survey work is due to begin in Musselburgh on Monday, 08 October, to assess the existing ground make-up and groundwater levels – as part of the Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme.

Contractors Raeburn Drilling will be carrying out the work on behalf of the project team, which will involve 15 boreholes and five trial pits alongside both the River Esk and Pinkie Burn. The works will take place over nine weeks and are expected to be completed before Christmas.

Two teams will be carrying out the works with one team working on four boreholes within the grounds of Pinkie St. Peters school and the second team working on boreholes and trial pits at the mouth of the River Esk.

The teams will then work their way up the Esk where locations have been strategically chosen to maximise the potential for valuable information to be gathered, whilst minimising the potential for impact on the town.

Musselburgh has a history of damaging floods from the River Esk although the last major flood, and inundation of the High Street, was in 1948. However, in recent years the combination of rising sea levels and changing weather patterns has suggested a possible higher incidence of flooding events in the future. In addition, parts of the Pinkie area of Musselburgh have also experienced problems associated with groundwater levels.

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In December 2017 the council engaged Jacobs as the new Design Consultant and tasked them with developing a scheme for Musselburgh. Since then the project team has been preparing an approach to delivering this project, and collecting survey information. To date, the first phases of the topographic survey works and ecological surveys have been completed.

The next phase of the topographic survey will involve the surveyors determining the 'threshold' levels for properties within the flood plain. In essence this is the level at which water begins to enter the house. This survey will also begin in the coming weeks and the surveyors will be visiting households as part of the survey and general awareness-building of the scheme.

The project team is currently building a new computer-based hydraulic model which will confirm the actual flood risk to the town. Once this is complete, the team will develop the best combination of flood risk reduction measures to protect the town. The result of the hydraulic modelling will be available to local residents at a public exhibition in spring 2019.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Norman Hampshire said: "The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) carried out country-wide Flood Risk Management Strategies which both described current flood risk and identified specific actions that will reduce risk. East Lothian Council is developing this scheme because the town of Musselburgh is at significant risk of flooding, and protecting it is considered both a national and council priority.

"The actual scheme will be developed over the coming years through a consultative process with key stakeholders and the town of Musselburgh."

Conor Price, Project Manager for the scheme, added: "The Project Team is systematically establishing contact with stakeholders, businesses and the people of Musselburgh. Over the next period we will ramp-up this effort and obviously with ground investigation works being visible, people will become aware of us. We will have a stall at the council's 'Resilient Communities Workshop' at The Brunton on Saturday 27 October from 9.30am to 1.30pm. Please come along as see us if you would like more information."