Flood aid to the civil community
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I accept why the civil authorities don't want to call in MACA but when we see footage of a few Jollies with wet sand bags that is appalling PR.
It ought to be like Fresco or the foot and Mouth solution. Call in the military but let the military decide what to do and don't shackle them with 'ROE'.
"Stop village X from being flooded" Let the military either reject the task or get the RE to throw up a berm, bridges, ferry or whatever. Good training and good PR.
An example was the RM using landing craft to get cars across the river.
It ought to be like Fresco or the foot and Mouth solution. Call in the military but let the military decide what to do and don't shackle them with 'ROE'.
"Stop village X from being flooded" Let the military either reject the task or get the RE to throw up a berm, bridges, ferry or whatever. Good training and good PR.
An example was the RM using landing craft to get cars across the river.
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""Stop village X from being flooded" Let the military either reject the task or get the RE to throw up a berm, bridges, ferry or whatever. Good training and good PR.
An example was the RM using landing craft to get cars across the river."
Agree.
Def good, real life training (if they weren't tasked with anything else but barrack duty) and great PR.
An example was the RM using landing craft to get cars across the river."
Agree.
Def good, real life training (if they weren't tasked with anything else but barrack duty) and great PR.
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Young Ms HH points out that the key to the problem lies in the words
"Floodplain"
"Water Meadow"
"Somerset Levels"
if you choose to live in such places you are accepting the risk - same as if I lived on San Andreas Fault Blvd.
"Floodplain"
"Water Meadow"
"Somerset Levels"
if you choose to live in such places you are accepting the risk - same as if I lived on San Andreas Fault Blvd.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
500/HH,
Whilst it is true many of these people are not recent incomers, of course some are, and they accept that some flooding will occur.
Now whether they are correct in stating that the undredged river had less capacity to accept water and drain it way (someone said it had less capacity to store water) and therefore exacerbated the problem or whether it is entirely due to unprecedent heavy rainfalls I don't know.
As I write not a few dozen miles from Somerset I am also surrounded by less newsworthy floods but floods none the less. Many minor roads are closed and the Thames is well spread over the meadows.
One solution employed by a wealthy householder has been to have a berm erected all around his house and garden.
Rather than dredge rivers and hope, villagers would be better advised in moating the whole village. Another observer said that farmers should spend their farm subsidies on flood protection and not Caribbean and Skiing holidays.
In Lincolnshire our local prep school is sustained not by Service brats but many farmers, as evidenced by the 4x4s at chucking out time, who enjoy their winter safari holidays and exotic summer ones.
Whilst it is true many of these people are not recent incomers, of course some are, and they accept that some flooding will occur.
Now whether they are correct in stating that the undredged river had less capacity to accept water and drain it way (someone said it had less capacity to store water) and therefore exacerbated the problem or whether it is entirely due to unprecedent heavy rainfalls I don't know.
As I write not a few dozen miles from Somerset I am also surrounded by less newsworthy floods but floods none the less. Many minor roads are closed and the Thames is well spread over the meadows.
One solution employed by a wealthy householder has been to have a berm erected all around his house and garden.
Rather than dredge rivers and hope, villagers would be better advised in moating the whole village. Another observer said that farmers should spend their farm subsidies on flood protection and not Caribbean and Skiing holidays.
In Lincolnshire our local prep school is sustained not by Service brats but many farmers, as evidenced by the 4x4s at chucking out time, who enjoy their winter safari holidays and exotic summer ones.
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PN
OK, this level of long term flooding might be unprecedented in recent times but every river I have lived hear (River Wye at Hereford, River ? Nene ? at Oundle near Peterborough) or been associated with in Staffordshire and surrounding counties when swan catching flooded on a regular basis.
And both the Nene and the Wye had flood plains that flooded and
most people didn't build on them, although water came right up close
to the backs of the houses in Oundle, a line existed that wasn't crossed.
OK, this level of long term flooding might be unprecedented in recent times but every river I have lived hear (River Wye at Hereford, River ? Nene ? at Oundle near Peterborough) or been associated with in Staffordshire and surrounding counties when swan catching flooded on a regular basis.
And both the Nene and the Wye had flood plains that flooded and
most people didn't build on them, although water came right up close
to the backs of the houses in Oundle, a line existed that wasn't crossed.
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I think it's a bit unfair to say people choose to live in these areas. A lot of people live there because their parents did, and will not have moved away because they probably can't afford to.
I will agree that continuing to build homes on flood plains is just stupid, and that the head of the Environment Agency was lucky not to be lynched or drowned when he paid a visit this week.
This is the same Environment Agency that, seemingly, wouldn't back work to reinforce a certain section of the main railway line along the South Devon coast until a full impact study into the effect of the works on the local bird life was carried out. I'll leave you to guess which section of the railway line we're talking about here.
Yes, that's the one.
I will agree that continuing to build homes on flood plains is just stupid, and that the head of the Environment Agency was lucky not to be lynched or drowned when he paid a visit this week.
This is the same Environment Agency that, seemingly, wouldn't back work to reinforce a certain section of the main railway line along the South Devon coast until a full impact study into the effect of the works on the local bird life was carried out. I'll leave you to guess which section of the railway line we're talking about here.
Yes, that's the one.
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I did read that bit in the DM about waiting to do a bird impact.
I couldn't see any of the birds mentioned being that affected by a bit of works on a railway wall but as per usual, they describe the birds like Avocet and Black Tailed Godwits as "rare"
. I suppose they are rare if you are looking in the wrong place for them.
I couldn't see any of the birds mentioned being that affected by a bit of works on a railway wall but as per usual, they describe the birds like Avocet and Black Tailed Godwits as "rare"
. I suppose they are rare if you are looking in the wrong place for them.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
This is the same Environment Agency that, seemingly, wouldn't back work to reinforce a certain section of the main railway line along the South Devon coast until a full impact study into the effect of the works on the local bird life was carried out. I'll leave you to guess which section of the railway line we're talking about here.
Yes, that's the one.
Yes, that's the one.
It is not birds per se but the EU Habitats Directive that requires that an environmental impact statement must be prepared before work can be undertaken in places such as SSSI, SAC, etc etc. No matter how important vital routine maintenance work is, work cannot be started until the EIS has been written, submitted to Natural England, the Environmental Agency, Uncle Tob Cobleigh and all other stakeholders for approval.
To single out the EA and birds is disingenuous.
I used to manage a 10,000 acre SSSI. Our first job was to get English Nature on-side. Initially the female in charge was a right PITA and needed seeing to. Her junior sidekick could occasionally be seen to roll his eyes. Once she left and we got him on-side we had an easy ride for the next 8 years.
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Selective reporting or not, the fact remains that an important element of infrastructure which should never have been allowed to deteriorate was allowed to do so because it appears to all concerned parties that wildlife is considered to be as important, if not more so, than people and the economy of this part of the country.
Well, chickens are birds too, and it would appear that they are coming home to roost.
Well, chickens are birds too, and it would appear that they are coming home to roost.
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RNAS Culdrose
Apparently the Commodore stopped all leave Friday pm and ordered the Air Station to commence giving aid to the local community. Culdrose personnel were out helping wherever they could. Didn't see much about it in the media, but then I'm now hundreds of miles away (*Thank God).
Likewise sailors from HMS Sultan (Portsmouth) arrived over the weekend in Somerset and gave aid, seemed to be mostly building dams etc with sandbags - this was covered on Sky News and seemed greatly appreciated.
Well done the armed forces.
Just read yr post PN and yes agree when you are on the spot looking after these places its amazing how many people you need to not upset. I to had a major SSI and it was also an ex WW2 airfield. It was a bleak old spot, still used extensively by the RN but to keep on side we had English Nature, National Trust, various water utility people, farmers and their cows, Debut Services, MOD of course, a glider club, Shelterbox, is it English Heritage? Cornwall County Council Planners, the local Parish Council, the Coastguard and a few more, I now happily forget who they all were. Ah yes RSPB. Civil Police.(all of these good people all want an input on your work and all want a say!).
Likewise sailors from HMS Sultan (Portsmouth) arrived over the weekend in Somerset and gave aid, seemed to be mostly building dams etc with sandbags - this was covered on Sky News and seemed greatly appreciated.
Well done the armed forces.
Just read yr post PN and yes agree when you are on the spot looking after these places its amazing how many people you need to not upset. I to had a major SSI and it was also an ex WW2 airfield. It was a bleak old spot, still used extensively by the RN but to keep on side we had English Nature, National Trust, various water utility people, farmers and their cows, Debut Services, MOD of course, a glider club, Shelterbox, is it English Heritage? Cornwall County Council Planners, the local Parish Council, the Coastguard and a few more, I now happily forget who they all were. Ah yes RSPB. Civil Police.(all of these good people all want an input on your work and all want a say!).
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Ah, Shelterbox. I presume they leased a hangar for storage.
English Heritage and English Nature, at VAST expense (letter heads, office signs etc) merged to become Natural England. In the process we lost our single POC at EN and gained someone ex-EH who knew loads about buildings and sod all about bombing of wild life.
The birds weren't disturbed and we had some wonderful rare crustaceans inhabiting the benign environment inside the targets.
English Heritage and English Nature, at VAST expense (letter heads, office signs etc) merged to become Natural England. In the process we lost our single POC at EN and gained someone ex-EH who knew loads about buildings and sod all about bombing of wild life.
The birds weren't disturbed and we had some wonderful rare crustaceans inhabiting the benign environment inside the targets.
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PN
"and sod all about bombing of wild life.
"The birds weren't disturbed"
I have heard it said that the birds getting up from roosting and flying around
because of a FJ bombing run "disturbs the birds" from roosting
(Ref Wanfleet or Snettisham or wherever that bombing target is on the Wash).
They (the Greenies) fail to realize that Hawks have exactly the same effect on roosting waders and a lot more often !
"and sod all about bombing of wild life.
"The birds weren't disturbed"
I have heard it said that the birds getting up from roosting and flying around
because of a FJ bombing run "disturbs the birds" from roosting
(Ref Wanfleet or Snettisham or wherever that bombing target is on the Wash).
They (the Greenies) fail to realize that Hawks have exactly the same effect on roosting waders and a lot more often !
Perhaps our £Bn of overseas aid might now be diverted to Somerset and the South West, rather than some corrupt dictator's bank account?
And maybe someone will decide that a reliable rail service to the South West is more deserving of funding than the utterly wasteful 'HS2' nonsense?
And maybe someone will decide that a reliable rail service to the South West is more deserving of funding than the utterly wasteful 'HS2' nonsense?
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While some of you chaps are forming an orderly queue to kick the Environment Agency, this might be worth a read; Don't blame the Environment Agency for floods. Blame the spending rules | Environment | The Guardian
Ah yes; Treasury rules. That would be the same Treaury that wouldn't release funds to put wiring in warships that didn't gas people should it catch fire.
t's important, though, to realise a fundamental constraint on us. It's not only the overall allocation for flood defence work that limits what we can do. There is also a limit on the amount we can contribute to any individual scheme, determined by a benefit-to-cost rule imposed on us by the Treasury.
Take, for example, the highly visible issue of the dredging of the rivers on the Somerset Levels.
Last year, after the 2012 floods, we recognised the local view that taking silt out of the two main rivers would help to carry water away faster after a flood.
The Environment Agency put £400,000 on the table to help with that work – the maximum amount the Treasury rules allowed us to do. The additional funds from other sources that would be needed didn't come in.
So when politicians start saying it's Environment Agency advice or decisions that are to blame, they need to realise that it's in fact government rules – laid down by successive governments, Labour and Tory – that are at the heart of the problem.
Take, for example, the highly visible issue of the dredging of the rivers on the Somerset Levels.
Last year, after the 2012 floods, we recognised the local view that taking silt out of the two main rivers would help to carry water away faster after a flood.
The Environment Agency put £400,000 on the table to help with that work – the maximum amount the Treasury rules allowed us to do. The additional funds from other sources that would be needed didn't come in.
So when politicians start saying it's Environment Agency advice or decisions that are to blame, they need to realise that it's in fact government rules – laid down by successive governments, Labour and Tory – that are at the heart of the problem.
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Priorities.
Someone said its 500 million pounds in overseas aid, and aid for UK environmental defence is now such a hot tattie that yes that might happen, it may now be diverted solely to the UK (surely that's a political no brainer, Labour Party)?
The rail link to the SW is over for the foreseeable 10 years IMHO - even the rain and disruption I last experienced in 2012 was showing the way here. Somerset - rail line blocked by water (rain). Devon - the now washed away coastal bit screwed me over even then. Cornwall - crashed car got on the line, utterly third world rail link west of Plymouth-Yeovil to Camborne took 8 hours. IK Brunel would have recognised every station such was the lack of 20th Century investment.
Shelterbox - nice chaps to a man and women but see what happens when the tail (Shelterbox) begins to wag the dog (me) on MOD land.
Apologies if you've tuned in to read about aeroplanes and things.
The rail link to the SW is over for the foreseeable 10 years IMHO - even the rain and disruption I last experienced in 2012 was showing the way here. Somerset - rail line blocked by water (rain). Devon - the now washed away coastal bit screwed me over even then. Cornwall - crashed car got on the line, utterly third world rail link west of Plymouth-Yeovil to Camborne took 8 hours. IK Brunel would have recognised every station such was the lack of 20th Century investment.
Shelterbox - nice chaps to a man and women but see what happens when the tail (Shelterbox) begins to wag the dog (me) on MOD land.
Apologies if you've tuned in to read about aeroplanes and things.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
500N, true. The nesting birds were inside the danger area - no people - but clear of the targets - no bombs. But the birds were stupid and their nests were often washed away by the tides.
I watch Geese around one of the targets. They would all take-off when the bomber came in. They were back on the ground within less than a minute.
Up at Tain the sheep were just a canny. They would graze around the targets until the range opened and then vacate the target area for the day.
At Donna Nook the seals liked nothing better than to snuggle up to a Mum sized 500lb bomb. Again bombs - no people.
I watch Geese around one of the targets. They would all take-off when the bomber came in. They were back on the ground within less than a minute.
Up at Tain the sheep were just a canny. They would graze around the targets until the range opened and then vacate the target area for the day.
At Donna Nook the seals liked nothing better than to snuggle up to a Mum sized 500lb bomb. Again bombs - no people.