Somerset Floods

mason85_308

Well-Known Member
:( Thoughts go out to those who live and work in the flooded areas of somerset.
Its terrible whats happening and after watching the news today they are saying that its more bad weather
For us all to come. Locals are not happy with the local councils for not dredging The river and streams down there for years, so hopefully they are helped alot better In the future. Thoughts to them all and good luck.
 
I live in Somerset and see the floods every day although I am fortunate not to be personally affected. Some at work are not so lucky! I presume all stalking in effected areas is at a stand still and will be for the foreseeable future. regards sbm
 
Very sad for those effected and for such a long period .historically low areas near to coasts and tidel rivers will have been effected at some time but is it just because of poor dredging and bad management ? it would be of interest to know from those on the ground not just from what the media tell us !again thoughts go out for those effected .
norma
 
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The chuckle brothers running this country should be helping our own sort out instead of every one else 1000s of miles away.
 
It's called the levels and are mean,t to flood , it was once the home of a lake called Avalon, and marsh and bog land,As sad as it is for the people living there, unless we change the way we farm, which has caused the silting of the rivers, change the way we plan developments for housing, we will have flooding. We cannot change the weather only the way we work with it
 
It's called the levels and are mean,t to flood , it was once the home of a lake called Avalon, and marsh and bog land,As sad as it is for the people living there, unless we change the way we farm, which has caused the silting of the rivers, change the way we plan developments for housing, we will have flooding. We cannot change the weather only the way we work with it

Wise words. Too many houses are now built on places which are known to flood regularly. Sooner or later the inevitable will happen.
 
It's called the levels and are mean,t to flood , it was once the home of a lake called Avalon, and marsh and bog land,As sad as it is for the people living there, unless we change the way we farm, which has caused the silting of the rivers, change the way we plan developments for housing, we will have flooding. We cannot change the weather only the way we work with it


What farming practices cause silting and how can it be prevented?
 
What farming practices cause silting and how can it be prevented?

I'd be interested in the answer to that as well.
Prior to the 1700's the area was known as Bridgwater Bay and more recently, the 60's I think, signs of houses built on stilts were unearthed.
 
The dramatic change into arable on areas that were traditionally livestock areas, a lot of silt travels down the rivers causing silting of the estuarys, we only have to look at the erosion on some of our chalk lands.
 
What farming practices cause silting and how can it be prevented?

Martin,

It's about allowing water run off on loose soil. If the land was managed such that the soil/water was retained on the land then the "downhill" soil could be moved back "uphill".

Now, highland rock and heather is an immovable object in a constant flow...

Stan
 
It's called the levels and are mean,t to flood , it was once the home of a lake called Avalon, and marsh and bog land,As sad as it is for the people living there, unless we change the way we farm, which has caused the silting of the rivers, change the way we plan developments for housing, we will have flooding. We cannot change the weather only the way we work with it

100% right , I feel very sorry for anyone caught up in these floods , unfortunately these are flood plains and the issue is that we build houses in the wrong areas and this was brought to light many many years ago but nobody thought it would get as bad as it has ........hope it clears asap for anyone involved
 
A farmer friend told me that he was not surprised at the flooding. In previous years the local farmers were paid grants to drain the levels. Once the levels were designated SSSI the farmers were then awarded grants to stop draining them. More joined up thinking from our marvellous leaders and the Environment Agency.
 
The chuckle brothers running this country should be helping our own sort out instead of every one else 1000s of miles away.

You can hardly blame them, it was decisions taken some years ago by the Environment agency not to dredge but to allow a more natural approach. Don't forget that the most affected areas were originally flooded and recovered by mans intervention and draining a hundred or so years ago. Many of the villages affected have been around for an awful long time, they are not recent developments.

The Environment Agency have got a lot to think about at the moment as regards their future policy.

Similar levels also exist on the other side of the Severn and if the Gwent and Wentlooge drainage board (recently taken over by Natural Resources Wales) don't continue to maintain the rhynes and pumps a large part of the area between Chepstow and Cardiff will be flooded too.
 
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intensive farming,removing hedgerows fields the size of small countys cutting down woodland ,planting of pine for fencing/pit props useless water authoritys now E A loads of reasons all adding up problems now im sorry to say i feel for them.:rolleyes:
 
Somerset got its name because years ago, you could only set foot in there in Summer, hence Summer-set. The levels were just one big swamp until man drained it and unless there is a concerted effort to keep it drained, it will once again become a big swamp.
 
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