flooding on the somerset levels
TRANSCRIPT
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Winter 2013/14 Prolonged heavy rain led to
Flooding on the Somerset Levels
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An area of coastal plain and wetland in central Somerset
650km2
Flat land lying close to sea level
Mainly agricultural, arable and grazing land with some peat extraction
Important habitats for birds and plants. 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest
What are the Levels?
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BLACKDOWN HILLS
Where are the Levels?
Think:Give 3 reasons why the Levels are prone to flooding
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Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP for Bridgwater, said a huge area of Somerset was "drowning” Homes are uninhabitable, farms are unworkable and jobs are being expensively destroyed. On the Somerset Levels, people are scared and angry – very angry
Jeremy Browne (Taunton Deane MP) said: "People on the levels are unable to get their children to school, they are unable to get to work and local businesses such as pubs have lost a large amount of business."
UK floods: council
declares major incident
on Somerset Levels
Impacts
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600 homes affected
Some villages cut off
Major roads blocked
Impacts
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Farmers were prevented from grazing their animals.Many cows had to be evacuated or soldFinancial cost likely to be in excess of £10 million
Impacts
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There were reports of increased crime.
Local businesses lost trade
Longer journey times for locals due to road closures
Some home owners were forced to evacuate from their property
Impacts
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Responses
Rescue boats were deployed to help stranded people
Royal Marines were sent in to help with flood relief
UK government promised at least £30 million to help with repairs
The Flooding on the Levels Action Group FLAG supported people in need of help
Extra police patrols in response to reports of crime
A 20 year flood action plan has been drawn up
Think:Which of these are short and which are long term responses?
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The Environment Agency installed giant pumps from the Netherlands to lower water levels
Responses
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Traditional solutions to flooding
Embankments alongside main rivers and pumping stations to remove water from the lowest lying land
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Traditional solutions to flooding
Man made drains and a system of sluice gates to control water levels
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Traditional solutions to flooding
Dredging of rivers to increase their drainage capacity
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Traditional solutions to floodingSea defences along the coast to prevent inundation by high tides
Photo Steve DanielsSource: Geograph project
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Traditional management options
Government’s 20 year flood action draft plan calls for…
More dredgingBuilding of higher embankmentsRaising of certain key roadsInstallation of permanent pumpsBuilding of a coastal flood protection barrage to hold back highest tides
Prime Minster David Cameron has said that
"money is no object"
Think:What are the arguments for and against hard engineering solutions to flooding?
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What are the management options for the future?
Should we spend more money on traditional flood protection?
Should the Levels be allowed to return to a natural wetland state?
Should management strategies be more sustainable?
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An alternative management option?
Return the Levels to a natural wetland state
Think:What are pros and cons of “doing nothing”?
Stop spending money on flood protection to protect a relatively small number of properties on a natural flood plain
Create nature reserves and prioritize needs of wildlife
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Sustainable management options
Sustainable management strategies could involve:
• Reducing / slowing / storing runoff from surrounding hills by tree planting, river basin management and pond creation
• Improvements to key roads• Allowing selected areas to return to
wetland • Encouraging farmers to invest in more
flood-tolerant activities• Compensate owners of the most
vulnerable property to relocate away from the floodplain
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Example questions….
• Name an example of a flood in the rich part of the world.• Describe the primary effects of a flood.• Describe the physical factors that lead to an increase in
flooding.• How can human activities increase the risk of flooding?• Describe the benefits of hard engineering strategies in reducing
flood risk.• What are the benefits of soft engineering approaches to flood
management?• What are the benefits and disadvantages of a flood protection
strategy that you have studied?• Explain how flood management schemes can be made more
sustainable.
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Flooding on the Somerset LevelsNoel Jenkins April 2014
Sources:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/24/uk-floods-major-incident-somerset-levels
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-26447005
http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/point-plan-reduce-Somerset-Levels-flooding/story-20528163-detail/story.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_flooding_of_2013–14_on_the_Somerset_Levels
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1386841
All photos by Noel Jenkins unless otherwise indicated
juicy geography