Urgent talks have been arranged amid fears flooding from the River Spey could soon overwhelm Garmouth.
Water pouring into the streets of the Moray village has long been an issue for residents.
However, concerns have been raised that it has become a more regular occurrence in recent months due to the changing nature of the river.
Last week torrents of muddy water overwhelmed the village’s golf course before flowing through streets and gardens.
Studies done by local campaigners suggest the Spey is now flooding in Garmouth while the water level is more than a foot lower than previously due to less defences upstream.
Fears Moray home’s Spey fate could soon be repeated at nearby village
It is understood a spate earlier this year overwhelmed an embankment, which has allowed the river to inundate fields next to the golf course.
Now Innes Community Council has scheduled talks for next month to coordinate a response to the growing concern.
Secretary Jim Mackie said: “We’ve been talking about it for years because the river is changing.
“What we’re seeing now is that the river is crossing land upstream from the village when the level is at 1.5 metres instead of two metres.
“So the river is coming across the land and into the village a lot sooner than it did before, which means it is happening more often, it lasts longer and there is a larger volume of water when it does so – that in itself is a major concern.
“When we’ve discussed it previously the talk has always been about how many properties will be protected and other areas then get prioritised.”
Clear up operations have continued in the village in recent days following the most recent flood.
A small army of volunteers helped clear the golf course of debris that had been swept from downstream.
Flooding is a constant worry for the club
Studies done by local campaigners suggest the Spey is now flooding in Garmouth while the water level is more than a foot lower than previously due to less defences upstream.
Fears Moray home’s Spey fate could soon be repeated at nearby village
It is understood a spate earlier this year overwhelmed an embankment, which has allowed the river to inundate fields next to the golf course.
Now Innes Community Council has scheduled talks for next month to coordinate a response to the growing concern.
Secretary Jim Mackie said: “We’ve been talking about it for years because the river is changing.
“What we’re seeing now is that the river is crossing land upstream from the village when the level is at 1.5 metres instead of two metres.
“So the river is coming across the land and into the village a lot sooner than it did before, which means it is happening more often, it lasts longer and there is a larger volume of water when it does so – that in itself is a major concern.
“When we’ve discussed it previously the talk has always been about how many properties will be protected and other areas then get prioritised.”
Clear up operations have continued in the village in recent days following the most recent flood.
A small army of volunteers helped clear the golf course of debris that had been swept from downstream.
Flooding is a constant worry for the club with its 15th hole shortened from 547 yards to just 117 over the last 15 years due to erosion – with the green currently just 2ft from the river.
Maxi Grant, who helped lead the team of volunteers, said: “There was only a little bit of damage this time thankfully, mostly it was just collecting up all the rubbish.
“We’re used to doing it all the time now. We’ve put a dam in up by the 7th tee to block the burn a bit and act as a bit of a sluice, which has helped. Before that the water was known to take the bridge away.
“We managed to get nine holes open last week and we should be back to the full 18 this week.”
The most recent spates partially submerged the ground floor of Ross House near the village, which was several hundred yards away from the river about 20 years ago.
Next month’s talks in Garmouth will involve locals affected by flooding from the Spey to help form discussions with agencies.
Fochabers Lhanbryde councillor Marc Macrae said: “Time and time again homeowners across Moray are faced with the clean-up costs and this is something they could well do without in the run up to the festivities.
“Sadly we cannot tether time nor tide and ironically officers from Moray Council met in recent weeks with Sepa and Crown Estate regarding the River Spey to discuss what the riverbank owners might do to combat the flooding at Garmouth and Kingston.”
