UKEC Sommerset Levels Management Strategies

management

scale

explanation

positive

negative

FLAG

local

flood on the levels action group supported people affected by floods and pressured the government to do more

brought community together and provided support

small and minimal expertise

evacuations

local

many had to evacuate residential properties, e.g. Anne-Marie Simpson was rescued after living off supplies for 13 days

huge benefit to small number of people

haphazard organisation

silt

local

environment agency removed 130,000 m³ of silt from Parrett and Tone in 2014

reduces long term flood risk

silt will naturally return over time

pumps

regional

pumps switched on over the 10 worst points

focused on the worst areas

can’t cover the whole flood

declaration

regional

SCC declared a ‘major incident’ to galvanise support

raised £1.5 million towards repairs

some wanted them to be doing more

future plan

regional

SCC plant to fund a new SRA to focus on reducing flood risk

originally the government funded, paid £2 million

future funds rely on tax increases of £25 per year

pumps

national

Environment Agency installed 62 emergency pumps

removed 1.5 million tonnes of water

took a while to bring in extra pumps from the Netherlands

royal marines

national

deployed to help villagers cut off by floodwater

highly skilled in dangerous zones

meant they weren’t doing more useful tasks

tidal barrier

national

Environment Agency planning £100 million tidal barrier across the River Parrett

will protect 10,000 homes and 1,500 businesses

has been delayed and currently no building is happening