Aberdeen City Council has called on landowners near Den Burn to help prevent flooding.

During the heavy rainfall over 18 and 19 October, the council received more than 90 reports of flooding and staff attended areas of concern along the Den Burn.

Council staff found many of the trash screens (also known as hakes) along the burn were blocked with saw-cut branches and garden refuse which had washed downstream.

When debris collects on the trash screen, the flow of water from the open channel into the piped sections of the burn is greatly reduced and the water level builds up behind the screens which puts properties at risk of flooding.

Residents are asked not to dump anything into the burn, and also ensure their walls are maintained.

While examining the burn during the heavy rain last month, the council staff also noticed several large stones had broken off the walls and were carried downstream which can also cause an obstruction to the flow and form sticking points for debris to collect. Residents should be aware maintenance of the walls in the burn is the responsibility of the property owner.

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An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: "Our staff work extremely hard when there's heavy rain to try to ensure properties won't flood however there are steps residents can take to help their neighbours further downstream.

"The trash screens are there to stop debris from collecting in the middle of tunnels as it would be too dangerous to clean them out during fast-flowing heavy rainfall.

"However, the trash screens can get blocked quickly with branches and other garden refuse which then causes the water to back up, leading to the possibility of flooding in the area.

"We're asking residents along the Den Burn and any of our waterways to think about other people downstream and not throw branches and other garden waste into our rivers and burns."

Residents potentially affected by flooding are reminded they can apply for a 50% funded Property Level Protection flood grant to help protect their property. The grant will only apply for those private homes that meet at least one of the following criteria:

• The property has been internally flooded previously and actual damage has been sustained.

• The property is located on an area in risk of flooding shown on the SEPA flooding maps.

• The property is located on an area in risk of flooding shown on the Integrated Catchment Study Model.

Initially, residents can apply for up to £100 to cover the cost of a survey to determine if property level protection will be suitable for the property as well as the type of protection that could be installed.

Households that meet the criteria will receive a grant of up to 50 per cent of the installation cost of Property Level Protection, up to a maximum of £2,500. More information and how to apply is available online.

(MH/JG)