Anti-HS2 campaigners in Harefield are pointing to this week's floods and asking: "Where will the water go?"
The site earmarked for the Colne Valley Viaduct Jetty Storage Satellite Compound off Moorhall Road sits in the floodplain to the south-east of a string of lakes – Broadwater, Harefield Moor and Korda – and is under about a foot of water.
The flooding comes from the lakes which in turn take it from the River Colne which flows nearby.
According to Doreen McIntyre of Harefield Against HS2, pictured , who lives in Moorhall Road, the area is a delicate balance of drainage ditches and open land which functions exactly as a floodplain should.
In an echo of the debate raging elsewhere in the country, she questions the wisdom of building on a flood plain, even temporarily.
"The issue I'm keen to flag is that the fields need to stay as empty fields," she said.
"They are important because they soak up the water. That is what has protected us here.
"They are part of the water management system and that is what they do. Putting HS2 on the top is like people Tarmaccing their driveways.
"All the little ditches are important but HS2 just wants to park its dumper trucks on them."
The compound would operate for two years and nine months from 2018, during the building of the 3km-long viaduct.
Ben Ruse, HS2 Ltd lead spokesman, said: “HS2 has been thorough in its plans to build a new railway– particularly in the area of environmental mitigation.
“We appreciate the concerns people have regarding the floodplain next to the River Colne and where excess water will go once the temporary compound is constructed.
"We have listened to those concerns and factored in two locations at the edge of the river to accommodate excess water in the event of flooding. These measures are featured in the recently published Environmental Statement for Phase One.”
