EA "People First" ?

[Timbo]

It seems that when it comes to flood defences and things like dredging the Environment Agency are operating a 'People Before Wildlife' Policy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35213310

Wonder if that attitude will catch on elsewhere? No?

[littlesprite]

Timbo,

If you look at this report into the flooding of the Somerset levels it doesn't really agree, failure to carryout dredging and intentional pumping of water from new estates into the levels are blamed. at the time of this flooding the EA had just completed a new nature reserve at a cost of millions rather than dredge the river.

 

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/01/18/flooding-in-the-somerset-levels-a-case-study/

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Martin,

That certainly makes interesting reading and ought to be read by all the unfortunate souls that have been effected by floods in there area.

Maintaining all of the waterways would pay dividends for all people effected and in the long term would save the country and everyone money.

When will the authorities see that cost cutting from the sharp end only costs more money?

Regards

Alan

[TheQ]

Thats a big change of tune in just under a year!

We just need BA to join in.

[Gracie]

"When will the authorities see that cost cutting from the sharp end only costs more money?".........and not forgetting lives

Well said Alan, the sufffering of the poor people affected by this awful weather is heartbreaking. Christmas has been and gone, it was just another christmas to us, to these people it was the christmas they lost everything, my heart goes out to them, it really does.

Let's hope it doesn't distress the people in power too much and spoil their holidays

Grace

[BroadScot]

There was one local worthy going on about dredging up North. On the news last week. He was blaming the EA.

Iain

[MauriceMynah]

Dredging may be the answer in some areas, but not necessarily in all. I'm sure there are solutions to any flooding situation but I'd rather the experts spend the time getting the right solution in the right area than just being forced to bow to public demand and dredge irrespectively.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

The Dorset Stour is only a few miles up the road from, that bursts its bank nearly every time we have a prolonged spell of rai. It never gets mentioned on the tv.

The Hampshire Avon is about 3 miles to the east of us, and that burst its banks for miles from Cristchurch for about 20 miles to Fordingbridge, and guess what, that was never on the tv either, then there`s the Moors river which flows through the plantation less than a mile away, that burst its banks too, nobody mentioned that on the tv either.  Flooding happens nearly every year down here, but nothing ever gets mentioned. We`re used to and live around it. OK, it may not be as bad as they`ve had up north, but that`s not the only region that has problems to do with floodwaters.

[LizG]

Likewise along the Lea/Stort valley they have 'flood plains' which indeed regularly flood but our rainfall is minimal compared to that seen in other areas of the country. Some of these areas effected are in valleys surrounded by hills (absent in my area) which throw large amounts of water at these narrow pinch points. Then of course are the large slabs of carparks and roofs which man has created with no provision for water retention. Where does that water go. Even the simple concreted garden driveway is adding to the problem. Not just the EA fault but.....

[Timbo]

Trees! I've followed several arguments concerning the removal of upland tree coverage, both historical and modern, as the reason why so much water is going into the 'start' of the river systems. I was a little unsure about this until I spotted what was occurring along my own street. 

Hooligans building a new school...on the site of an old school....decided that it would be more cost effective to dig new sewers across the medieval ridge and furrow and hack down swathes of woodland to accommodate their diggers...and then to hack down more trees and damage more archaeology because they had dug the trenches in the wrong place...than to find and remove a blockage in the existing sewer system. As I walked the dogs the other day their was a veritable stream of water flowing from the denuded former woodland across the tarmac and down the middle of the road. Water was also freely flowing along the tarmac paths that had been slapped into the archaeology, down the hill and into the new school building.

Although an orchestrated equitable approach to drainage and the protection of homes and heritage is what is required I'm afraid we live in a society based on greed, self aggrandizement and self interest. A matter of minutes after CA Moron announced £40M for Yorkshire flood defences we find out the contract has already been given to one of his supporters. With a background like this it's not a case of a choice between protecting  'people' or the 'purple web footed bog wangle' it's more a case of protecting business...or the right business that has made appropriate donations to party funds unless they can be bought off with a peerage.

Is it because I've hit the age of 50 that I'm so cynical or have I always been this way inclined?

[grendel]

Tim, I reckon you have always been cynical, its just that more people are doing things to fuel the cynicism nowadays, the backhanders, and the stupidity. far too many people nowadays are self centred and only in it for what they can get.

Grendel

[Maxwellian]

Neil, I was under the impression that those rivers flooded onto unpopulated flood plains. Might be wrong though.

[Polly]

Happy half century Tim! I'd say cynicism in this context is the natural state of the archaeologist, so you have merely brought your natural evolution to a greater state of perfection.