Guys,
Just thought I'd post this one from the Somerset levels:
Actually, to be honest, we don't need Sentinel here. We know where the flood water is. It's in the same frigging places that it's appeared in for around 600 years now. The difference is that it's not draining away like it used to.
And that is down to lack of maintenance of the Somerset Levels drainage systems started by the Romans, expanded by the Saxons, developed in the Middle Ages, massively upgraded in the 17th Century, just about cracked by the Victorians and kept running by local Drainage Boards until 2005.
That's about when the Environment Agency declared that the Levels were 'natural wetlands' and should be allowed to return to their 'natural state'. The then Head of the Agency declared that she would be happy to see 'limpet mines attached to every pumping station on the Levels'. I rather think that Somerset has had enough high tech help from the 'centre'.
Down here, we don't need Sentinel. We need sandbags now, pumps tomorrow and dredging machinery soon afterwards. Less glamorous I know, but effective.
Best regards as ever (and heartfelt thanks to the local marines and sailors who are doing a magnificent job 24/7)
Engines