Somerset Levels.

[timmytree]

There is an element of that Mike, whatever the causes and reasons I feel sorry for the people who are dealing with this problem.

The Thames flooding as it has is a huge shock and has affected many more people than the flooding on the levels, the fact remains though that for the levels people we are seeing flooding on an unprecedented scale, the 3rd time in less than 18 months.

We expect floods every year on certain parts of the moor and are prepared for that, the lack of dredging has been highlighted as a problem and can now be seen quite clearly by the lower river Parrett being nearly empty but the higher sections are still overflowing because of bottlenecks.

We don't want flood protection built everywhere, we just want the rivers dredged as they used to be to provide an escape for the water.

It doesn't matter who is to blame, who said what or who is in charge. Political point scoring is sick when folk are suffering countrywide from a lack of prevention, particularly when proper maintenance would have reduced the damage we are now seeing.

Engineers are now deliberately risking flooding on other parts of the levels to stop the floods reaching Bridgwater, more pumps shifting the water for miles to gain an outlet to the lower reaches of the river. If the dredging had been maintained for the last 20 years this response would not be needed now.

The long term view is that eventually parts of the levels may be abandoned apart from summer grazing but even that would be lost unless the old method of control is renewed. 100s of years of control lost because of cutbacks and "Experts" who don't understand the relationship between rivers and moors but are more conversant with cutbacks and bonuses.