Rivers SHEFFIELD CASE STUDY

Sheffield Flood Case Study

factors that influence whether a river floods its banks

• rainfall (intensity)

• urban area; impermeable rock/soil

• rural area; lots of vegetation (intercepts rainfall), roots absorb water from the soil

• steep slopes

where is Sheffield located

south Yorkshire in north of England

what river flows through Sheffield

river Don

when was the flood

25th June 2007

what caused the Sheffield flood

• June 2007 wettest month on record; more than double the average

• some areas received months worth of rainfall in 24hrs

• lots of rain caused the flood

impacts of the 2007 flood

• Sheffield Wednesday Hillsborough stadium flooded; can’t hold matches

• closure of A61 Penistone Road (major route into the city)

• many homes and businesses flooded and destroyed

• Meadhowhall shopping centre closed due to flood; closed completely for a week with some stores not reopening until September

• two people died; 13 year old boy and 68 year old man

• several cattle washed away from farms

• junctions on the M1 closed as a precaution

• antecedent conditions

• over 1200 homes flooded

• 1000 businesses effected

• 13,000 people without power for two days

what did Sheffield Wednesday Hillsborough stadium flooding mean

• loss of money and people unhappy

• 6-8ft of water

• expensive to repair

what did the closure of the A61 mean

• people can’t get to work, travel etc

• had to abandon cars

what did the Meadowhall shopping centre flooding and closing mean

• expensive to rebuild and open

• stock and equipment destroyed; electronics, food etc

• loss of jobs/no pay

what did cattle washing away from farms mean

• loss of money; less livestock and crops to sell

• could cause damage

what did junctions on the M1 closing mean

• people couldn’t travel

• emergency services couldn’t reach Sheffield

• accidents

• ruins peoples journeys

why did Sheffield flood

• rainfall

• rivers and landscape

• urbanisation

• drain infrastructure

how did rainfall mean Sheffield flooded

• flooding began due to extreme wet weather in northern England; antecedent conditions

• with grounds already saturated, cities drains unable to cope

how did rivers and landscapes contribute to the flooding of Sheffield

• city lies at the foot of the Pennines, where three rivers (Rivelin, Loxley and Don) meet

• several reservoirs in upper courses store water and regulate flow in rainy periods; this time they filled and overflowed

• where the Rivelin and Loxley confluence, volume of water increased hugely and flooding became likely

• nearby confluence; Don already almost up to its banks so a backlog of water occurred, causing water to back up along Rivelin and Loxley; overflowing

how did urbanisation mean Sheffield flooded

most of Sheffield built up; concrete surfaces, brick, tarmac, etc, all of which are impermeable

how did drain infrastructure mean Sheffield flooded

• only way cities can cope with rainfall, however Sheffields drains, channels and flood defenses were overwhelmed by extreme flows of water

• very quick, sudden downpours making flood prediction difficult

• drains blocked and overflowed

• fallen trees along rivers Sheaf, Loxley and Don blocked by river channels

• Sheffield council denied drains were to blame for the flood

why did Sheffield council deny the drains were to blame for the flood

• system designed to deal with rainfall amounts that may occur every 30 years

• rains heaviest for 35 years; planning couldn’t prevent

• rivers, drains and streams not big enough

• 2007 floods a once in 400 year event