SOMERSET FLOODS

• When? 


  2014
• Somerset Levels? 


  Low-lying land in SW England; king history of flooding.
• Causes? 


  • High tides and storm surges swept water up the rivers from the Bristol Channel preventing normal flow.

  • Rovers clogged with sediment, not been dredged for 20 years.
• Immediate Responses? 


  • Cut-off villagers used boats for transport.

  • Community groups and volunteers gave invaluable supports.
• Long term responses? 


  • 8km of Rivers Tone and Parrett dredged in March 2014.

  • Mote pumping stations built abe river banks raised + strengthened.
• Social Impacts? 


  • Ovwe 600 houses flooded and 16 farms evacuated.

  • Villages cut off affecting people‘s daily lives (e.g. work, school and shopping).
• Economic Impacts? 


  • Estimated £10M damage.

  • 14,000 hectares of farmland flooded and 1000 livestock evacuated.
• Environmental Impacts? 


  • Huge amount of debris had to be cleared.

  • Floodwaters contaminated with sewage, oil and chemicals.
• What was it? 


  From Dec 2013 to February 2014 there was a severe flood.
• Objectives of scheme (Flood Action Plan)

  • Reduce frequency, depth and duration of flooding.

  • Increase resilience to flooding for families, agriculture, businesses, communities + wildlife.
• Scheme involves…? 


  • 8KM of River Parrett and River Tone dredged.

  • 500M of road at Muchelney raised by 1.2M.

  • Permanent defences built at Aller (raising road and installing a new curb) and Westonzoyland (new sheet-piled wall)
• Successes? 


  • Homes/roads repaired, power restored, livestock back on land and people have moved back.

  • Computer modelling suggests a significant cut in risk of flooding.
• Costs? 


  • cost £100 million

  • only 56/78 actions delivered.

  • people need to be flood ready still.
• overall? 


  👍🏼 = hasn’t received a flood on the same level since, computer modelling shown risk of flooding has been reduced.

  👎🏼 = difficult to tell if successful.