Flooding

[750XL]

We returned our boat to Herbert Woods yesterday after a wonderful (albeit) flooded week on the Broads. It was sad to see most of Potter, Horning and Wroxham under water - mooring spots were limited despite the fact there was hardly any boats on the water (who'd rent a boat in November eh?)

Upon arrival at 0830 to Herbert Woods they informed me the flood barriers were up, hence our car was trapped on the 'wrong' side of the fence. Few hours wait for them to pump the water to an acceptable level but they very kindly supplied us with cake and coffee whilst we waited!

Big thumbs up to HW

[mikeyboy1966]

Honest question,

has Holland suffered from flooding this week?

I presume they’ve had similar tides and rainfall.

[Turnoar]

4 hours ago, Bernard said:

Would the new bridge at Yarmouth that has narrowed the channel have any effect on the water getting out?

From photos the width looks to have been reduced by circa 20%. If the water was simply the tide coming in and going out then in theory little difference. However, with a lot of rain run off into the broads, particularly the extra perhaps generated by homes built in Stalham, Horning, North Walsham, Wroxham, Aylsham etc. over the years, and the river banks having been raised, the water resulting from inclement weather will take longer to get out, hence what we’re seeing now with the sustained rainfall overtopping.

If the sea ever breaks through Happisburgh/ Eccles when we’ve had a load of rain then there will be even more water flowing into the Thurne and Ant via the network of drainage ditches.

Little wonder the insurers bailed out of flood risk cover in a lot of Broadland villages!

 

[marshman]

I profess to know nothing about the science of hydrology and its impact on Broadland water movement, but I would like to bet that the new Yarmouth bridge has very little to do with the flooding currently being seen!

Broadland has seen worse consequences of heavy rain - what about 1912????

[Broads01]

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23900542.life-flooded-norfolk-broads-pub-geldeston-locks/

[Bytheriver]

Just been looking at some of the EA Gauging station reports for the upper reaches ( non tidal ) & though levels had started to fall before Thursdays rain the quickly went up again only just beginning to fall so a lot of water still to get into the system - so much that I suspect the lower reaches are self scouring well. Farmers want their flooded fields back asap before crops lost ( winter wheat was growing well )but no help to flood situations on the broads

[r24cloud]

Hi Mikeyboy,

In answer to your question, I can confirm that Holland is flooded - I am here at the moment: the fields have standing water, the dykes are very full. But, I haven’t seen the relative water levels to properties like you are getting over there.

[PaulN]

On 03/11/2023 at 15:08, Jbx5 said:

Thought I would check on the boat at Horning this morning only from Salhouse, bad idea what with the road works on Norwich Rd Wroxham,  water on the road near the boat yard then ferry road Horning impassable  ( Tractor and waders over 3ft deep  in parts ) tractor and trailer taking cars from ferry marina to dry land at the top of the road. I haven’t seen it quite as bad for a few years. 
 

John 

I'm hoping to get down to the boat next week, as I haven't seen her all winter. Does anyone have an update on the flooding, particularly around Horning Pleasurecraft and The Ferry Inn?

[SwanR]

I haven’t been to Horning for a long time. River levels on the roads around Wroxham keep going down and then up again. I have seen more photos on Facebook of the waterfront at the New Inn being flooded again. 

[marshman]

With rain this February, about double what we would normally expect, its hardly surprising that everything is pretty wet! However looking a bit further out it looks as though the wind may go round to the NE and this would normally be a cold wind, but a drying wind - normal for this time of year but almost welcome after the rain!!!

It will take some time though for this water to go away- with Easter being early, I suspect river levels will still be relatively high. My view of course but we shall see!!

[Mouldy]

21 minutes ago, PaulN said:

I'm hoping to get down to the boat next week, as I haven't seen her all winter. Does anyone have an update on the flooding, particularly around Horning Pleasurecraft and The Ferry Inn?

Take wellies.  I was there last Friday and again on Wednesday.  Lower Street is closed due to gas main woks, so access is from the opposite end and by the school.

[Mouldy]

 

Photos taken last Friday.  It was no different on Wednesday, but with recent rainfall (Wednesday and yesterday), could even be worse.

[Bikertov]

1 minute ago, marshman said:

It will take some time though for this water to go away- with Easter being early, I suspect river levels will still be relatively high. My view of course but we shall see!!

I'm getting concerned for the Great Ouse area too. We are planning to spend our first ever night on board over the Easter weekend.

Jones are meant to be returning boats into the water 2nd week of March (w/b 11/3). But most of the moorings in the marina are again under water. Levels are up at about 1.1m above normal, compared to a maximum of 1.3m. They seems to drop for a few days then go all the way back up.

Clearly there is no capacity left in the land to absorb further rain, so as soon as it falls it drains straight into the river.

[batrabill]

From The Broads Society

Latest rainfall and river flow summary from the Environment Agency paints a astonishing picture of how wet the UK is. 

Over here in the East of England we have received over 220% of the "normal" rainfall for February with a week still to go.

That's an EXTRA 10 tonnes of water per acre per day that our drains, rivers and pumps have had to cope with.

Read the full report here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d7657b87005a001a80f85b/Rainfall_and_river_flow_summary_14_February_to_20_February_2024.pdf

#broadssociety #wetwinter #broadsflooding

[PaulN]

48 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

 

Photos taken last Friday.  It was no different on Wednesday, but with recent rainfall (Wednesday and yesterday), could even be worse.

Thank you everyone for your replies, especially Mouldy for the photos which say it all. My boat is the furthest one in the second photo.

[Jbx5]

Big wellies required 

Highest tide i've seen this year at the moment at Brundall. 

John 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

18 minutes ago, Jbx5 said:

Big wellies required 

Highest tide i've seen this year at the moment at Brundall. 

John 

Its been worse many times.

[PaulN]

2 hours ago, OldBerkshireBoy said:

Its been worse many times.

Should get worse, Spring Tides next Tuesday. 

[LizG]

Not just the Broads - this was the River Colne near Watford today. Not the best day to plan a walk alongside it as I encountered several detours....plus a bridge actually closed

 

[dom]

45 minutes ago, LizG said:

Not just the Broads - this was the River Colne near Watford today.

I thought that first picture was Hoveton Hall until I read what you'd said.

It's very definitely not just the Broads. Here in Cambridgeshire, the Ouse washes spill over onto the road at Earith when things are really bad. It normally happens for a week or so around Christmas to New Year. This year, things are far worse and we've had repeated closures, including for the last week. This is actually a fairly major route between St.Ives and Ely which is still closed now, with no clear singn when things will improve.

Fortunately, I no longer have to drive the route daily like I used to, but thousands of people are having to take extensive diversions via other routes which, inevitably, all have roadworks or similar issues. The way this has been handled by local authorities and the EA makes the BA look efficient and dynamic in comparison.

[NeilB]

1 hour ago, LizG said:

Not just the Broads - this was the River Colne near Watford today. Not the best day to plan a walk alongside it as I encountered several detours....plus a bridge actually closed

 

I lived in Bushey, just outside of Watford for the first 25 years or so of my life.  The Colne flooding was a regular occurrence as was the flooding of the Premiere Inn.  The locals said they were fools to build a hotel there as it floods most years, developers laughed and said we'll put in some extra drains which obviously didn't work as they cannot drain the Colne!!  The other clue is in the name of the road - Water Lane 

A bit like here really, BA, EA etc, not listening to the locals....

[Bikertov]

39 minutes ago, NeilB said:

I lived in Bushey, just outside of Watford for the first 25 years or so of my life.  The Colne flooding was a regular occurrence as was the flooding of the Premiere Inn.  The locals said they were fools to build a hotel there as it floods most years, developers laughed and said we'll put in some extra drains which obviously didn't work as they cannot drain the Colne!!  The other clue is in the name of the road - Water Lane 

A bit like here really, BA, EA etc, not listening to the locals....

I'm still in Bushey !

Is that the bit in front of Tesco ?

At least I am at the top of the Heath. It would take a LOT of flooding for my house to be affected. Like biblical amounts, literally 

[Bikertov]

3 hours ago, LizG said:

Not just the Broads - this was the River Colne near Watford today. Not the best day to plan a walk alongside it as I encountered several detours....plus a bridge actually closed

Are you local then ?

As said, I am in Bushey 

[LizG]

I live in Ware....

[Bikertov]

37 minutes ago, LizG said:

I live in Ware....

Where ??

Sorry, couldn't resist that one !

So sort of near, but not quite down the road from me.