Somerset Levels Case Study

Date

January 2014

Location

Somerset, Southwest UK, River Parrett

Size

65km2

Physical causes of flooding (1) rainfall

193% average rainfall in January 2014

Physical causes of flooding (2) wind/tide

Hurricane-force wind speeds and tidal surges causing widespread flooding

Physical causes of flooding (3) jet stream

Powerful jet stream driving low pressure systems and their storms across the Atlantic Ocean

Human causes of flooding (1) dredging

River Parrett had not been dredged properly for 20 years

Human causes of flooding (2) buildings

Building has developed on the floodplain, much of which is below sea level

Consequences of Somerset Levels Social (1) boat service

Muchelney village had roads cut off for almost a month - a 2 hourly boat was the only means by which residents could get in and out of village

Consequences of Somerset Levels Social (2) government

Lack of trust in the government occured

Consequences of Somerset Levels Social (3) crime

Crime increased. In Jan, 900 litres of fuel was stolen from a pumping station in Westonxoyland

Consequences of Somerset Levels Social (4) livelihood

Loss of livelihoods from permanent damage to businesses and farmland

Consequences of Somerset Levels Social (5)road closures

81 road closures. Many of the main roads were closed, such as the A361 which links Taunton and Street. Trains on the Bristol line between Bridgwater and Taunton were also disrupted

Consequences of Somerset Levels Social (6) emotional devastation

Emotional devastation from loss of over 600 homes and possession

Consequences of Somerset Levels Economic (1) lost business

Local businesses reported over £1 million in lost business

Consequences of Somerset Levels Economic (2) insurance

Home insurance went up five-fold for local people after flooding

Consequences of Somerset Levels Economic (3) tourism industry

Cost to tourism industry was £200 million

Consequences of Somerset Levels Economic (4) agricultural impacts

Agricultural impacts were huge due to loss of crops and cost of moving livestock

Consequences of Somerset Levels Economic (5) business impacted by flooding

50% businesses surveyed across Somerset were impacted by flooding

Consequences of Somerset Levels Economic (6) business impacted by road closures

86% of businesses surveyed across Somerset were impacted by road closures

Consequences of Somerset Levels Environmental (1) wildlife

Fluctuations in wildlife numbers, breeding patterns and locations for some species

Consequences of Somerset Levels Environmental (2) soil

Took up to two years for soil to be restored

Stakeholders

Locals, Royal Marines, Government, EA, Somerset County Council, FLAG, Insurance companies

Local responses to flooding (1) group formed

The Flooding on the Levels Action Group (FLAG) formed to help support people affected by the floods and pressure the government to do more

Local responses to flooding (2) evacuation

Many Somerset landowners and farmers had to evacuate residential properties e.g. Anne-Marie Simpson was rescued from her North Curry home via a window and into a boat, having been living off supplies for 13 days

Local responses to flooding (3) silt

130,000 cubic metres of silt removed from the River Parrett and River Tone between March and October 2014

Local responses to flooding (4) embankment

The village of Thorney has had an £180,000 earth embankment built to help protect 10 houses

Regional responses to flooding (1) trigger points

10 trigger points on the Somerset Levels drawn up which allow additional pumps to be switched on to remove water from a given area, once three criteria have been met

Regional responses to flooding (2) councils

Two councils - Somerset County and Sedgemoor District - declared a 'major incident' in a bid to mobilise extra support. They raised £1.5m towards repairs

Regional responses to flooding (3) Somerset rivers authority

Council plan to fund a new Somerset Rivers Authority, initially funded by the national government (£2m was paid) but future funds rely on a council tax increases of £25 per year, improve maintenance of river channels and flood banks to help reduce risk of flooding

National

responses to

flooding (1) pumps

Environment Agency installed 62 pumps, working 24 hours a day, to remove 1.5 million tonnes of water. Giant pumps were also brought in from the Netherlands to bolder the effort

National

responses to

flooding (2) marines

Royal Marines were deployed to help villagers cut off by the floodwater

National

responses to

flooding (3) tidal barrier

Somerset Rivers Authority is working with Sedgemoor District Council and the Environment Agency (EA) to create a £100m tidal barrier across the River Parrett by 2024. Formal planning applications for the barrier are expected to be submitted in the summer of 2019, with a view to start construction by 2022

National

responses to

flooding (4) action plan

Somerset Levels and Moors Action Plan formed, a 20-year, £100m plan commissioned by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, national government announced funding of £10.5m towards the cost of the £100m plan. The Department for Transport is backing it with £10m