What lessons should be learned from summer floods?

[Wobs]

Originally Posted by spadlet

Is it a large area that is at risk? Is the Environment Agency planning to strengthen the defences in that area?

Sorry for not replying sooner.

Its a big area that's at risk. The main area being to the east of Hull to Spurn Point at the mouth of the Humber. As I said before, there is a large controlled retreat area on this stretch, which is huge, but down stream of that, the land has few dwelling.

Between Hull and the controlled retreat, there are some villages (Paull, Hedon, Thormgumbald, and the site - BP Chemicals works, which shouldn't be ignored).

On a map, it looks completely flat, but there are slight changes in the level of the land, which would prevent flood water getting to villages much further.

Near Spurn, there's some small villages such as Kilnsea and Skeffling, but they're practically hamlets. In this area, the risk is more from extreme tides and rising seas, whereas further up stream, its a combination of tides and runoff. In the floods of 2000, we were thankful there wasn't a spring tide!

The other issue is coastal erosion. There is one spot not far north from Spurn Point where a large digger could cut a channel, and allow the sea into the East Riding of Yorkshire. Some claim they could flood the county, but again, it would be quite localised, albiet a spectactular flood.

If memory serves, the aim is to provide flood defences against a 75 year flood (or something of that magnitude), which seems to be the case.

However, the River Hull needs work within Hull, as the defences are less than ideal, as much of the river bank is privately owned. Having a tidal barrier has prevented much flooding, but its also brought about some complacency, as a similar situtaion to the 2000 floods could cause serious problems.

The Humber stretch though is fairly well maintained, as its just about all EA owned on the North bank.

[spadlet]

I know this site talks mostly about CO2 but if they can get the upland peat bogs working again then it would reduce the runoff, hopefully assisting the flood risk reduction work.

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail...leaseID=331911

The government and public should have been better prepared for floods in England this summer, a report will say.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7147355.stm

[Gerbil Rebellion]

Originally Posted by spadlet

I know this site talks mostly about CO2 but if they can get the upland peat bogs working again then it would reduce the runoff, hopefully assisting the flood risk reduction work.

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail...leaseID=331911

Peat bogs work quite well as a reduction but the change in land use from woodland to open fields is where the greatest problems have arisen and as the EA have only recently been looking at flood plains as a whole in the last few years it is going to take a while to undo the damage of the targeted approach their predecessor used for many decades before that.

[Richard]

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/thepittreview

Wow, there's a suprise, the report thinks more should be done to prevent flooding, didn't see that coming!

Why should I pay more to defend the homes of people who were stupid enough to buy a house on a flood plain?

[Richard]

What makes you think you'll have to pay more?

Besides, the report found that a lot of the flooding wasn't due to rivers bursting their banks but due to insufficient capacity in the urban drainage network and so could happen anywhere, not just flood plains. In which case additional research into preventing this is probably justified no matter where you live.

Insurance companies have to cover all homes against flooding by law don't they? So those with low risk subsidise those with high risk.

I agree with your second point though, much more work needs to go into upgrading capacity to cope with the ever increasing population living in Britain.

[spadlet]

Originally Posted by addict

Insurance companies have to cover all homes against flooding by law don't they? So those with low risk subsidise those with high risk.

They refused to pay out for alot of the homes damaged by the floods in Yorkshire, from what I heard. There were certainly a few benefits gigs in Sheffield for people who had been affected by the flooding. I think that some of the shops had problems too.

[J.R.P.]

FLOODs 'LIKE TERROR' as reported in a news paper dated the 18-12-2007.
FLOODING is as big a threat to Britain as terrorism or a deadly flu pandemic, an official inquiry warned. Ministers were urged to draw up a national emergency plans fillowing this summer's devastating floods in the UK. The report said NEW HOMES NEED TO BE BETTER DESIGNED TO COP WITH FLOODS - and rescue equipment like boats should be stockpiled. And families in flood risk areas were also urged to be better prepared.
They should have emergency flood kits, with a torch, radio, emergency numbers and important documents such as insurance forms. "We are trying to RAISE THE PRIORITY OF FLOODING, putting it on a level that is something similar to terrorism or pandemic flu." There were 87 recommendations that the Government said it would look into, as more than 350,000 people lost their water supply for nearly three weeks in this year's floods, which cost insurers £3billion. Warning systems and drainage systems had to be made better. "We need to improve our weather forecasting and our ways of modelling the ground." "What were people supposed to do? to help people who hadn't been flooded for over 40 years." Brits would be alarmed there was NO UK FLOOD PLANS - NO NATIONAL FLOOD EMERGENCY PLANS, NO CLEAR RESPONSIBILLITY FOR DEALING WITH URBAN FLOODS, and NO SYSTEMATIC STOCK PILLING OF EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT."

FLOOD FARCE.
SIr Michael Pitt's VERDICT, suggests whole communities were exposed to devastation by COMPLACENT GOVERNMENT AND CAVALIER BUILDERS.
MINISTERS WARNED US TO BE PREPARED FOR FREAK STORMS DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING. The only action they took was to IGNORED THEIR OWN ADVICE.

(ME)
If they want someone to design houses to build on flood plains, then they need look no further, because I think outside the box when it cames to trying to help solve a problem. I say WHY wait until tomorrow when you can sort it out today, simply done by building all new houses, for a start, having a garage under the first elevated floor.
May I wish you and yours a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS and a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008 too. John.J.R.P.