Flood Barrier

[MaceSwinger]

Flood Barrier - GYM article

Apologies if this has been shared already, but I couldn't see it anywhere. It makes mention of the BFI, which we saw a thread about the other day.

[JennyMorgan]

Such a barrier has been considered and reconsidered and yet again reconsidered so many times during my lifetime! Firstly, the major flooding we have seen on the Waveney Valler recently is fresh rather than saltwater. Secondly, a number of renowned and able experts have repeatedly concluded that if the sea is held back at Yarmouth Southtown then the likelihood of saltwater flooding above Potter will increase quite considerably. I am no expert but I do see the logic of that conclusion.  Still, yet even more research will give a purpose and employment to a few good folk I suppose!

[riverman]

In the short term, they would be far better off mitigating for extreme weather rather than extreme tides. Waste of time and money. 

[Vaughan]

9 hours ago, riverman said:

In the short term, they would be far better off mitigating for extreme weather rather than extreme tides

As has been well proved in recent years, when the Thames Barrier was useless against the rainwater flooding which devastated the Thames valley above London.  See also, the Somerset Levels.

I remember all the debate about a flood barrier back in the 70s and in the end it was decided not to build one, mainly out of fear of what all the "experts" would then decide to do with it.

"Why don't we use it to control the tides and raise the water level by 4 inches?"  Or if you are a farmer rather than a birdwatcher : "Why don't we lower the level by 4 inches?"  We have all seen in recent flooding, what a difference 4 inches makes, on the upper reaches!

I think quite enough damage has been done by the "experts" who constrained the rivers with excessively high banks, largely to appease the farmers.  If you build a barrier across Yarmouth Haven, you can be certain that all the various factions of the Flat Earth Society will very soon start buggering about with it!

[Bytheriver]

Yesterday morning before EDP published the Barrier idea DEFRA chose to re-publish the 2015 River Basin Management Plans for the period 2015-2020 They contain some interesting information

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/river-basin-management-plans-2015?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_source=0612970e-2a71-4d17-bd9c-abc400d30cb6&utm_content=daily#anglian-river-basin-district-rbmp:-2015

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, Vaughan said:

 If you build a barrier across Yarmouth Haven, you can be certain that all the various factions of the Flat Earth Society will very soon start buggering about with it!

I rather fear the 'control freak'.

Granted that the Broads themselves are man made but most of the rivers are basically natural. The Broads is the Broads, messing around with nature inevitably has a knock on effect.

I can't help but believe that there is a high degree of self importance rearing its unwelcome head with this latest 'initiative'. 

Heaven save us from such as Natural England, witness the Hoveton Great Broad debacle. 

[Cheesey69]

The Thames barrier was part of a system to protect London and downstream tidal areas which it does very well. 
raised flood walls and Barking creek flood barrier. 
The upper Thames is a separate scheme. 
But the same problems apply to the upper river areas if a barrier is used

[ranworthbreeze]

I seem to recall that there were various experts at the time that seemed to think that the Thames Barrier was built in the wrong place.

[MauriceMynah]

2 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said:

I seem to recall that there were various experts at the time that seemed to think that the Thames Barrier was built in the wrong place.

Nah, I'm sure across the river is the right place.

[rightsaidfred]

Some thing to take into account before getting to carried away is the first rule of nature, for every action there is a reaction, so much of today's flooding is in reaction to past actions, building on flood plains for one.

Fred

[ranworthbreeze]

2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Nah, I'm sure across the river is the right place.

Don't ever change John, the forum would be a duller place without you.