mega storms uk next week

Even if those rivers had been dredged, an extreme event that we have had over the last month would still have meant that the area would flood. The rivers just can't cope with that amount of water going through them.

Anyway, turns out the Chief is on his way out anyway, so those people calling for him to resign will probably think that they won the call, even though he finishes his tenure in a couple of months anyway.
 
leaskovski said:
Even if those rivers had been dredged, an extreme event that we have had over the last month would still have meant that the area would flood. The rivers just can't cope with that amount of water going through them.

Anyway, turns out the Chief is on his way out anyway, so those people calling for him to resign will probably think that they won the call, even though he finishes his tenure in a couple of months anyway.
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The area always floods, but then drains. It hasn't been draining at all due to clogged rivers. Housing in the area isn't placed in the areas of high risk anyway as normally the fields flood and then empty. As the fields haven't been able to drain the water has backed up and affected some of the villages.

A second problem is that with the fields being constantly underwater the roots of the crops have been dying off, plus the fields will have a good coating of effluence, which is going to severely affect the farming this year.
 
i partly blame all these flood "defenses" ..... fantastic for the people that have them ofc, but all you are doing is moving the problem? the reason those place flooded in the 1st place is because they are on flood plain or low laying area, so now the river is going to have to find some where else to relive its self
 
Haze said:
i partly blame all these flood "defenses" ..... fantastic for the people that have them ofc, but all you are doing is moving the problem? the reason those place flooded in the 1st place is because they are on flood plain or low laying area, so now the river is going to have to find some where else to relive its self
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Isn't that normally meant to be the sea!
 
Alibaba99 said:
The area always floods, but then drains. It hasn't been draining at all due to clogged rivers. Housing in the area isn't placed in the areas of high risk anyway as normally the fields flood and then empty. As the fields haven't been able to drain the water has backed up and affected some of the villages.

A second problem is that with the fields being constantly underwater the roots of the crops have been dying off, plus the fields will have a good coating of effluence, which is going to severely affect the farming this year.
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I didn't know any of this - thanks.
Now I know why they are getting mad.
 
Something that hasn't really been mentioned in the media is funding. Funding for flood defence schemes is awarded based on the benefit to cost ratio of the scheme. The higher the ratio, the more likely it is awarded funding. Currently, economic benefits are largely influenced by the number of residential properties protected, not so much commercial property or land (these are factors set by the government on a national level).

So, last I heard about 40 properties were flooded in Somerset. The economic benefits from protecting 40 properties is relatively little, so the costs have to be proportionate to maintain a decent benefit to cost ratio. Dredging is expensive and not particularly favourable for various reasons:
- It transfers the flood risk further downstream.
- It causes a vast amount of waste silt which is very expensive to dispose of properly.
- It destroys aquatic habitat, therefore unfavourable with respect to EU law.
- The silt returns relatively quickly.

In short, a scheme which relies solely on dredging will not be cost beneficial for the taxpayer. As Lord Smith said, a more holistic and lasting solution is needed for the area.
 
ChroniC said:
Isn't that normally meant to be the sea!
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Ideally, yes, but when you like below sea level like the people of the Somerset levels your only options are a tidal barrage + pumping water over the top (expensive!) or sacrificing less valuable land for flooding. In this case, farm land (vs residential land).
 
Alibaba99 said:
The area always floods, but then drains. It hasn't been draining at all due to clogged rivers. Housing in the area isn't placed in the areas of high risk anyway as normally the fields flood and then empty. As the fields haven't been able to drain the water has backed up and affected some of the villages.

A second problem is that with the fields being constantly underwater the roots of the crops have been dying off, plus the fields will have a good coating of effluence, which is going to severely affect the farming this year.
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Yes, the area may always flood, but the area has never seen this amount of water, so I guess that might be the reason why the rivers can't drain fast enough. Remember, this is the wettest January on record, so saying "its always drained before" isn't a fair comparison.

Yes, dredging can help, but it isn't going to magically solve the fact that there is more water in that basin than there has ever been before.
 
The Dutch have been brought in with their massive pumps, couple of trucks with pumps and piping! Hurray! The water might not actually reach my house now (fingers crossed)

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If anyone knows anything about keeping the sea out, the Dutch do!

Wind beginning to pick up here again and my barometer is flashing "Falling very rapidly" with a reading of -2.4 mb/hr
 
Didn't know the Dutch had sent help, good going.
Those are some serious pumps too. Thing is, where is the water being pumped to?!
 
ajf said:
Didn't know the Dutch had sent help, good going.
Those are some serious pumps too. Thing is, where is the water being pumped to?!
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Back into the river, so it floods further down. Great going. Destroy to areas, rather than one.

Its the wettest on record and people are complaining about lack of action. Mind boggling.
 
I've just started to plan my physical geography dissertation and coming from Somerset flood management/modelling seems an ideal topic!
 
Glaucus said:
Back into the river, so it floods further down. Great going. Destroy to areas, rather than one.

Its the wettest on record and people are complaining about lack of action. Mind boggling.
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It will get pumped into the Parrett which goes out to sea about 5 miles down.
 
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