Somerset Levels 2014

• Background:

  • southwest England
  • low lying coastal plane that the lower course of the rivers Parrett, Tone, Axe and Brue flow through.
  • long history of habitation and farming
  • vulnerable to farming
  • several villages but a low population density
• Physical causes:

  • prolonged rain in January 2014. There was 183.8mm of rainfall in southern England, wettest on record.
  • saturated ground from the rainfall left no capacity to absorb in the soil. Significant run-off.
  • the low lying ground increased the likelihood of flooding.
  • the nearby Bristol Channel is subject to storm surges and one of the worlds largest tidal ranges.