Somerset Levels Flooding

• Date: December 2013 - Feb 2014
• Location: South West England
• Causes:

  • heavy rainfall (succession of depressions bought wet weather for several weeks, in which 350 mm of rain fell in Jan + Feb, even though the average is 100 mm)
  • high tides and storm surges swept water up rivers from Bristol channel - prevented freshwater reaching sea and spilled over banks
  • rivers hadn't been dredged for at least 20 years, they were clogged with sediment - periodic dredgin of the river was needed so as not to stilt up
• Social impacts:

  • Over 600 houses were flooded, and people were forced to evacuate
  • Power supply cut off for people
  • Residents evacuated to temporary accommodations for months
  • Moorland and Muchenley cut off - affected people's lives and school
  • 16 farms evacuated
• Economic impacts:

  • Somerset county council estimated the cost of damage to be more than £80 million
  • Local companies lost more than £1.2 million in business
  • Loss of tourism cost the country £200 million
• Environmental impacts:

  • 11,500 ha of land flooded, including farmland - destroyed many crops
  • Standing water made the ground toxic and unproductive for over a year - loss of nutrients and damage to soil structure decreased the long-term fertility of land
  • Tonnes of mud and debris left by floods, damaging vegetation
• Immediate responses:

  • Local community groups and volunteers donated essential items like food, water and cleaning supplies
  • People used boats to go shopping, school or work
  • Water pumped into other rivers
• Long-term responses:

  • £20 million flood auction plan launched in association with environmental agency to reduce flood risk
  • In March 2014, 8 km of River Tone and River Parret were dredged, which reduced sediment and increased capacity
  • Heights of roads were increased in certain places and vulnerable communities will have flood defences
  • River banks being raised and strengthened
  • By 2024, a tidal barrage is considered to be built at bridgewater
  • Pumping banks to pump out water will be built