Somerset Levels

[Boris+]

Hi DQ,

I don't have any property to spare at the moment. If I did I would help where I could.

Em

[Boris+]

Hi Dave,

From the geological surveys etc undertaken at the time that properties were purchased etc., it is quite unlikely. However 'home' as such is only going to be 'home' for about another 3 years maximum - at which stage the research etc will start all over again to find our next 'home.

I think we'll be ok.

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Hi Tinker,

I don't really think that I like your comment that 'charity' is not a word in my vocabulary. It comes across as not a very nice comment at all, and I'm afraid I don't like it. Bye the way - we don't think of anything we do which helps others as being 'charity' - we just think of it as helping someone else.

Em

[royalprincess]

At long last someone in government has admitted that they were wrong to listen to the Enviromental Agency. Perhaps now something will be done to help those affected and stop this from happening again. I heard on the news this morning that Cameron is visiting the affected areas again. Perhaps he might like to offer the use of Chequers to house some of those affected after all to quote him "We are all in this together".

My sister actually lives near a flood plain in London - the chances are that she won't be flooded as the Thames Barrier has been raised but she is very concerned - spare room has been prepared.

[lioness]

A lot of the problems are because homes are built on flood plains. My sister-in-law has just moved to a place near the Thames. All new houses built on a flood plain. It beggars belief.

Like Em, when we moved, we did all the checks and live a little way up a hill. One of the houses we looked at in the village that we liked, but it needed too much doing to it, flooded in the summer, as did all the shops in the main street. All due to heavy rain, but also a blocked culvert.

[Boris+]

It's a hard decision to have to make sometimes; we know that we are looking to make a move in about 3 years time - but already 2 properties that I would have gladly paid the asking price for have been flooded in the last 12 months, and therefore I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole. For those 2 properties no need to bother with expensive geological surveys etc., I've seen them flood: that's enough to put me off.

In the meantime, having been through a flooding situation myself, I know it's hard - but I really hope that people involved will see this as an opportunity and not a threat.

Em

[suespud]

I heard on the news that because the Thames is near flooding, they are trying to re-route it in Datchet...so the water flows into the fields near Windsor Castle... Our "other" home is there... Ok there are a lot of fields near Windsor Castle...I'm just glad we don't live on the ground floors!

[emjay45]

I feel so so sorry for the people suffering with the flooding, I have not been flooded, but been so close to it in the summer of
June 2012, we have moved since, but I would not wish it on my worst enemy.

It beggars belief however that the village we moved from, which has had loads of incidents of flooding and which has a Flood Plan issued by
the Environment Agency, had a planning application passed for 76 properties (over 55's) on the floodplain next to the river only last year,
so after the floods which I nearly suffered from. The Environment Agency had no objections and were happy with the developers so called
"Flood Defences/Mitigation". Do they never learn?????

That is shocking to give planning application on a known floodplain. As you say why do they do it? I hope buyers will beware.

[haveabeer]

Just heard a lady speaking from Moorlands and she was asked who was there helping she said only local people volunteers, it appears that the red cross and other aid agency cant go in due to health and safety issues and they are not allowed to drive through floods beggers belief really

[Delboy]

I don't understand what the agencies can do at the moment, obviously making sure accommodation is available, and families are being fed.

There is nothing which can be done at the moment to stop the flooding, the real help will be needed
when the water starts to go down, then help to get the homes back to being re inhabited again will be needed, and clearing up the mess.

The Somerset levels are doing what they were originally intended to do, it is a flood plain to catch the water coming down off the hills. Dredging the rivers will not really help.

The real tragedy is that building of houses has been allowed on the levels in the first place, this was a disaster waiting to happen.

It will happen again whatever they do, if we get this level of bad weather again in the future.

When I was a youngster I lived in Buckinghamshire, whenever we had very bad weather the River Ouse at the back of use to overflow, and all the fields use to flood, so when you looked out all you could see was a large lake of water as far as you could see. Those fields now form part of the town called Milton Keynes, full of houses.

[lioness]

another problem is that the water is actually coming up from underground now. The earth is so saturated, it can't take any more so is overflowing from underground. Never heard of that before.

[haveabeer]

The issue is not only the hills but also sea levels tidel flow via the rivers over top there banks
The agency could help with moving furniture upstairs getting animals away bringing food supplies ferrying people around setting up pumps filling sandbags taking kids to school these are things being done by the volunteers

[cornmillgirl]

another problem is that the water is actually coming up from underground now. The earth is so saturated, it can't take any more so is overflowing from underground. Never heard of that before.

In June 2012 I was lucky and just missed being flooded. However houses a mere 50 ft from our front door were flooded but not from the river.
The water came up through the floors from underground because the water table just could not cope with the amount of water. We had a lake at the back of our house 20 ft from our back door the drains could not take any more, luckily it stopped raining or otherwise!!

[cornmillgirl]

I feel so so sorry for the people suffering with the flooding, I have not been flooded, but been so close to it in the summer of
June 2012, we have moved since, but I would not wish it on my worst enemy.

It beggars belief however that the village we moved from, which has had loads of incidents of flooding and which has a Flood Plan issued by
the Environment Agency, had a planning application passed for 76 properties (over 55's) on the floodplain next to the river only last year,
so after the floods which I nearly suffered from. The Environment Agency had no objections and were happy with the developers so called
"Flood Defences/Mitigation". Do they never learn?????

That is shocking to give planning application on a known floodplain. As you say why do they do it? I hope buyers will beware.

The developer had put some plan in to mitigate the 1 in a 100 year flood! Where have we heard that before? Didnt they say it was a 1 in a 100 year flood last year in the Somerset levels! Basically the developer would build up the land to a certain level which passed the Environment Agency's requirements. Worse the properties are bungalows for over 55's , can you imagine the anguish it would cause an elderly person sat waiting to see if they would flood. The field in question is right next to the river, not 50 ft or 100ft away, the only thing that separates it from the river is a narrow footpath! Are the Authorities stupid or what, local residents campaigned hard against the application but to no avail.

[towny44]

At long last someone in government has admitted that they were wrong to listen to the Enviromental Agency. Perhaps now something will be done to help those affected and stop this from happening again. I heard on the news this morning that Cameron is visiting the affected areas again. Perhaps he might like to offer the use of Chequers to house some of those affected after all to quote him "We are all in this together".

My sister actually lives near a flood plain in London - the chances are that she won't be flooded as the Thames Barrier has been raised but she is very concerned - spare room has been prepared.

I don't think raising the Thames barrier will help much in the current situation as the flood water is coming down the Thames, the Barrier might prevent extra flooding at high tide but it won't stop the deluge coming down river.

[Gill W]

I feel so so sorry for the people suffering with the flooding, I have not been flooded, but been so close to it in the summer of
June 2012, we have moved since, but I would not wish it on my worst enemy.

It beggars belief however that the village we moved from, which has had loads of incidents of flooding and which has a Flood Plan issued by
the Environment Agency, had a planning application passed for 76 properties (over 55's) on the floodplain next to the river only last year,
so after the floods which I nearly suffered from. The Environment Agency had no objections and were happy with the developers so called
"Flood Defences/Mitigation". Do they never learn?????

That is shocking to give planning application on a known floodplain. As you say why do they do it? I hope buyers will beware.

The developer had put some plan in to mitigate the 1 in a 100 year flood! Where have we heard that before? Didnt they say it was a 1 in a 100 year flood last year in the Somerset levels! Basically the developer would build up the land to a certain level which passed the Environment Agency's requirements. Worse the properties are bungalows for over 55's , can you imagine the anguish it would cause an elderly person sat waiting to see if they would flood. The field in question is right next to the river, not 50 ft or 100ft away, the only thing that separates it from the river is a narrow footpath! Are the Authorities stupid or what, local residents campaigned hard against the application but to no avail.

They're saying this is the wettest period for 250 years, so they would have had to design for a one in a two hundred year weather event, to cope with this current situation. That would involve on site storage of the water until it can drain away naturally ..... With the current levels of water, I don't think it would be feasible to design a drainage system to cope with the current level of water. Also, the current legislation only requires the drainage design to replicate what the situation was before the houses were there. So by building on a flood plain, at some point, it will flood, they can't change nature.

The requirement to design for a one in a hundred year flood can only go on the averages for the last 100 years. These past years do seem to see a higher level of flooding, but on the other hand, the average is dragged down by the low rainfall years. This time two years ago we were facing a drought!

I think they'll end up changing the design regulations, although that won't help people who live in existing housing. Unfortunately we live on a crowded island, and homes are being built on land that probably isn't suitable for housing. But people have to live somewhere. Unless we all decamp to to the Scottish Highlands.

[Gill W]

At long last someone in government has admitted that they were wrong to listen to the Enviromental Agency. Perhaps now something will be done to help those affected and stop this from happening again. I heard on the news this morning that Cameron is visiting the affected areas again. Perhaps he might like to offer the use of Chequers to house some of those affected after all to quote him "We are all in this together".

My sister actually lives near a flood plain in London - the chances are that she won't be flooded as the Thames Barrier has been raised but she is very concerned - spare room has been prepared.

I don't think raising the Thames barrier will help much in the current situation as the flood water is coming down the Thames, the Barrier might prevent extra flooding at high tide but it won't stop the deluge coming down river.

Yes, I was a bit confused about the raising of the barrier. I though it was designed to prevent tidal surges coming in from the North Sea, not to protect against river flooding from the other direction.

[Frank Manning]

This flooding is rather like a disaster at sea. As soon as it becomes a media event, every person who has been on the Isle of Wight ferry becomes an expert in ships design, and safety at sea.

I dont really think that now is the time to pontificate and navel gaze about what should and should not have happened. The weather patterns are unusual, and those with power should just concentrate on relief measures. If and when the weather abates, there needs to be the inquest and hopefully some planning, but until then being wise after the event is not helping those in trouble.

What is noticeable is the lack of political gamesmanship over this from Labour. Actually the Tories are doing quite well arguing among themselves, so Labour can afford to keep quiet.

[david63]

I think that this is the perfect example where those on benefits, and not in work, should be made to work on helping with the relief in these areas - if they are not already doing so.

[haveabeer]

David that would be a health and safety issue, that's what would be said

[royalprincess]

I think that this is the perfect example where those on benefits, and not in work, should be made to work on helping with the relief in these areas - if they are not already doing so.

Couldn't agree more. Having listened to someone on tv this morning pointed out that they need help. Unfortunately with all the cuts to emergency services and the army the help is not there any more. The lady speaking said that the volunteers at the moment cannot do some things - they don't have the training but those not in work could lend a hand as well.

[david63]

David that would be a health and safety issue, that's what would be said

If I posted what I thought of that I would have to ban myself!

[haveabeer]

David that would be a health and safety issue, that's what would be said

If I posted what I thought of that I would have to ban myself!

Well we would have the PC brigade saying its racism or takes away the freedom of the individual I would for one think anyone fit and able living near to the action should be drafted in to help unfortunately it will never happen

[Gill W]

This flooding is rather like a disaster at sea. As soon as it becomes a media event, every person who has been on the Isle of Wight ferry becomes an expert in ships design, and safety at sea.

.

I would just like to mention that although I'm not an expert in drainage, my husband is a civil engineer, with experience in drainage, so I asked him about current design legislation. That's why I passed on some information - I thought it might be of some interest.

[oldbluefox]

David that would be a health and safety issue, that's what would be said

If I posted what I thought of that I would have to ban myself!

You go ahead David and I'll save you the embarrassment!!

(Mob told me to say it!! )

[Meg 50]

This flooding is rather like a disaster at sea. As soon as it becomes a media event, every person who has been on the Isle of Wight ferry becomes an expert in ships design, and safety at sea.

.

I would just like to mention that although I'm not an expert in drainage, my husband is a civil engineer, with experience in drainage, so I asked him about current design legislation. That's why I passed on some information - I thought it might be of some interest.

It is of interest, Gill.

I think that Frank was generalising about people with no knowledge making it up as they go along, not getting at you