Somerset Levels.

[Dirty Harry]

I think I agree with you Mike. Buy a house on the levels and you have to expect it to a certain extent.

[old rooster]

The old dredging debate has been going on for years. The main problem was caused by excessive dredging many years ago which ruined the rivers at that time. Rather than leaving deep runs and gravel glides they went through the lot leaving us with featureless ditches that during times of no rainfall dried to a trickle allowing the weeds to grow and debris to collect on what should have been the watercourse. That damage will never be put right by just leaving the rivers to go back to nature as the original flow patterns that kept them clear all year through have been disrupted by mans stupidity.

[JDog]

The old dredging debate has been going on for years. The main problem was caused by excessive dredging many years ago which ruined the rivers at that time. Rather than leaving deep runs and gravel glides they went through the lot leaving us with featureless ditches that during times of no rainfall dried to a trickle allowing the weeds to grow and debris to collect on what should have been the watercourse. That damage will never be put right by just leaving the rivers to go back to nature as the original flow patterns that kept them clear all year through have been disrupted by mans stupidity.

 

 

Good point and one which I have not seen made before.

[Penelope]

Riffle and pool system, very much like the restoration work NACA (Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association) have been doing on the Wensum following the excessive dredging in the 60's & 70's.

 

The old dredging debate has been going on for years. The main problem was caused by excessive dredging many years ago which ruined the rivers at that time. Rather than leaving deep runs and gravel glides they went through the lot leaving us with featureless ditches that during times of no rainfall dried to a trickle allowing the weeds to grow and debris to collect on what should have been the watercourse. That damage will never be put right by just leaving the rivers to go back to nature as the original flow patterns that kept them clear all year through have been disrupted by mans stupidity.

[JDog]

In the 1960's the powers that be canalized the River Leadon which runs into the Severn between Gloucester and Maisemore. Previously it was a marvellously meandering stream rather than a river. The Otter holts were destroyed, kingfishers deserted the place and all in all it looked a right mess. Many years later it has almost reverted to it's old ways. There used to be a decent hatch of Mayfly but that went after the clearance works. I do not know if the Mayfly have returned.

 

As an aside, before these works were done, I caught chub, dace, roach, perch, eels, trout parr and pike on the same day from the same swim. I kept some of them in a keep net and I had to hold onto the net at one stage as I was face to face with an Otter which had got hold of a fish through the net. A happy memory.

[Fisherman Mike]

In the 1960's the powers that be canalized the River Leadon which runs into the Severn between Gloucester and Maisemore. Previously it was a marvellously meandering stream rather than a river. The Otter holts were destroyed, kingfishers deserted the place and all in all it looked a right mess. Many years later it has almost reverted to it's old ways. There used to be a decent hatch of Mayfly but that went after the clearance works. I do not know if the Mayfly have returned.

 

As an aside, before these works were done, I caught chub, dace, roach, perch, eels, trout parr and pike on the same day from the same swim. I kept some of them in a keep net and I had to hold onto the net at one stage as I was face to face with an Otter which had got hold of a fish through the net. A happy memory.

Know it well…walked the whole stretch one weekend from Over to Redmarley back in the 70,s with tent and calor gas stove.

Used to fish the river just downstream of Rudford..

Use to be a glide there which was packed with quality dace…not unusual to catch a dozen over the ½ pound mark.

I don’t know what it’s like these days put its still a nice walk in the summer.

[old rooster]

Not many silver fish in the rivers around here now, mink and those blasted signal crayfish along with the destruction of the rivers basic characteristics have seen to that.

 

The frightening thing is the relatively short timescale in which we've managed such devastation.

 

Most people don't give it much thought but anybody who has been involved with countryside pursuits all their lives will have seen this all happening.

[Penelope]

I would suggest that the cormorants have had the biggest impact on the silvers, they have everywhere else. I agree with you regarding the signals, Turkish and the other 5 non naïve species of crayfish though, hate them.

 

Personally I don't think mink have that much of an impact on fish, more so the birds and small mammals of the waters edge.

 

The trouble with water is joe public can't see beneath it and fish ain't cute and cuddly. Aquatic invertebrates have had the largest drop in population of all the animal types in the UK, but who cares about bugs?

 

Not many silver fish in the rivers around here now, mink and those blasted signal crayfish along with the destruction of the rivers basic characteristics have seen to that.

 

The frightening thing is the relatively short timescale in which we've managed such devastation.

 

Most people don't give it much thought but anybody who has been involved with countryside pursuits all their lives will have seen this all happening.

Edited February 7, 2014 by Penelope

[scolopax]

It is a floodplain. It has rained a lot. It has flooded. Just like it is supposed to. If the farmers do not like it they can sell up and move else where.

[dashman1]

Thats wat floodplains do I agree I do feel for the home owners.

Edited February 7, 2014 by dashman1

[scolopax]

40 Homes flooded on the levels.

 

When Hull flooded due to incessant rain on 25th June 2007 7,800 houses were flooded plus 1,300 businesses, including my girlfriends, parents and brothers houses, likewise across the region, yet it hardly got the coverage that a floodplain flooding recently now gets.

Edited February 7, 2014 by scolopax

[slated]

It is a floodplain. It has rained a lot. It has flooded. Just like it is supposed to. If the farmers do not like it they can sell up and move else where.

Area have flooded that haven't for hundreds of years.

Easy to stay dry sat on your high horse.

 

Is your name Latin for ****

[scolopax]

Not on my high horse at all, I have seen the truly devastating effects of flooding first hand, seen every homeowner either side of a 1 mile section of road have to put the entire ground floor contents of their homes into skips then spend up to a year living in caravans in the garden whilst their houses were renovated. But the Somerset levels have been blown out of all proportion. Tragic for the 40 homes flooded, but in reality it is 'just' farm land that has flooded, farmland which should recover relatively quickly once the water recedes.

[JDog]

Not on my high horse at all, I have seen the truly devastating effects of flooding first hand, seen every homeowner either side of a 1 mile section of road have to put the entire ground floor contents of their homes into skips then spend up to a year living in caravans in the garden whilst their houses were renovated. But the Somerset levels have been blown out of all proportion. Tragic for the 40 homes flooded, but in reality it is 'just' farm land that has flooded, farmland which should recover relatively quickly once the water recedes.

 

Agreed. Post no. 37 was ignorant in more ways than one.

[Catweazle]

I understand the farmers frustrations, but perhaps if they didn't allow so much fertilizer and soil to run off into the ditches they wouldn't be so choked up.

[JDog]

I understand the farmers frustrations, but perhaps if they didn't allow so much fertilizer and soil to run off into the ditches they wouldn't be so choked up.

 

 

Another excellent point. Perhaps we should submit a 'PW prognosis and action plan' to the Environment Agency (Only when Lord Smith has vacated the position).

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Polders!

[Kes]

I'm afraid I am with the farmers and residents on this.

The EA produced their 1 in 100 flood plan and everyone panicked, what could have happened before was now formal, so the EA could get away from some of the inevitable criticism.

If you have increased levels of rainfall you simply plan for them, more rain you add another pump or several.

Somerset, or at least a large part of it, is below sea level and therefore the drainage systems have to be fit for purpose. Pumps to deal with all anticipated flow conditions, a pipe network to manage flood water between the open drains and the odd sacrificial area to hold floodwaters temporarily. I dont go with the rubbish about the environment - this area is comparatively small and the damage done by dredging is pathetically small compred with all the other, more serious environmental damage being done elsewhere.

If the Dutch can keep their farmland dry - why the hell cant we ? Almost a third of Denmark has been reclaimed from the sea and we cant take care of the Somerset levels. To me its a national disgrace, we give millions to others and waste billions on computer systems that never materialise and yet we can't keep our country safe and the people in it. The engineering solutions are well known and easily deliverable over a planned investment cycle. Increased levee heights and robust tidal surge barriers can all be provided quite cheaply and with natural materials.

I agree with the farmer who said the head of the EA should be horsewhipped - eye of the ball, disatrous consequence, late going to have a look and act and all this with a £100K plus salary and a pension index linked as his flood prevention strategy should have been climate linked. I'm sure all those saying its always flooded have neither been to Holland or been flooded out.

[welsh1]

I'm afraid I am with the farmers and residents on this.

The EA produced their 1 in 100 flood plan and everyone panicked, what could have happened before was now formal, so the EA could get away from some of the inevitable criticism.

If you have increased levels of rainfall you simply plan for them, more rain you add another pump or several.

Somerset, or at least a large part of it, is below sea level and therefore the drainage systems have to be fit for purpose. Pumps to deal with all anticipated flow conditions, a pipe network to manage flood water between the open drains and the odd sacrificial area to hold floodwaters temporarily. I dont go with the rubbish about the environment - this area is comparatively small and the damage done by dredging is pathetically small compred with all the other, more serious environmental damage being done elsewhere.

If the Dutch can keep their farmland dry - why the hell cant we ? Almost a third of Denmark has been reclaimed from the sea and we cant take care of the Somerset levels. To me its a national disgrace, we give millions to others and waste billions on computer systems that never materialise and yet we can't keep our country safe and the people in it. The engineering solutions are well known and easily deliverable over a planned investment cycle. Increased levee heights and robust tidal surge barriers can all be provided quite cheaply and with natural materials.

I agree with the farmer who said the head of the EA should be horsewhipped - eye of the ball, disatrous consequence, late going to have a look and act and all this with a £100K plus salary and a pension index linked as his flood prevention strategy should have been climate linked. I'm sure all those saying its always flooded have neither been to Holland or been flooded out.

 

As has been said many times ,the Netherlands are a different case,they have reclaimed the land, they realise that it will flood very regurlarly and will kill thousands if it does.they have spend many millions to build a series of locks dams and levies that constantly drain water and stop surges.

 

The Dutch have now realised that even with their vast system in place that they are losing the battle,they cannot build ever higher walls and dams,so they are now selecting land and moving the residents out,this land is then being allowed to become flood plain,the Dutch are also active in their new developments and build large town centres and car parks to act as mini flood plains taking the pressure off other areas.

 

To build a system that would remove the water from Somerset and prevent it happening would be an astronomical cost,and compared to the head of population is not a viable concept.this is a rare occurance and coupled with high tides and strong winds is unlikely to happen year on year.

 

We should remember that the area flooded is an actual flood plain and has flooded for centuries,this is why it is so fertile,did people think that once they started to farm it the flooding would stop?

[DaveT]

Agreed, its an area very vulnerable to flooding, low and flat. The people who live there knew this and choose to continue to live there, their choice.

 

It now flooded and they will have to live with their decision to do so, there is limited funding for flood defences and the population these is too low to justify the massive amount of money needed.

[Splashy]

As I understand it dredging the rivers will alleviate the problems with the Somerset Levels. This would increase the flow of the rivers and by dredging in the appropriate place would cause less flooding. The consequences of this increased flow would move the problem downstream, specifically resulting in the possible flooding of Bridgwater.

 

As a previous poster mentioned, if you build your house on a flood plain, or at least a location that is below sea level, then flooding is a likely consequence of heavy rain. I live in Somerset and can tell you that there is heavy rain!

[jgguinness]

40 Homes flooded on the levels.

 

When Hull flooded due to incessant rain on 25th June 2007 7,800 houses were flooded plus 1,300 businesses[/size], including my girlfriends, parents and brothers houses, likewise across the region, yet it hardly got the coverage that a floodplain flooding recently now gets.

Exactly, like I said I'm my previous post. Geographical favouritism!!

[welsh1]

As I understand it dredging the rivers will alleviate the problems with the Somerset Levels. This would increase the flow of the rivers and by dredging in the appropriate place would cause less flooding. The consequences of this increased flow would move the problem downstream, specifically resulting in the possible flooding of Bridgwater.

 

As a previous poster mentioned, if you build your house on a flood plain, or at least a location that is below sea level, then flooding is a likely consequence of heavy rain. I live in Somerset and can tell you that there is heavy rain!

Dredging is a red herring,even if the rivers were well maintained the sub strata became saturated, there is so much water that the rivers cannot take it all away,couple that with the winds and high tides and you have the "perfect flood"

[bigadam]

Hope you get help you need if flooded

[welsh1]

Hope you get help you need if flooded

Was that post directed at me?