How has everyone been affected by the huge amount of rain that has fallen in the last few days? I have heard that a sixth of the yearly rainfall fell in 24 hours in some places, so no wonder there has been so much flooding.
Luckily we have got away with it here, there have been no floods around as far as I know.
As the global warming prediction is that weather like this is going to become more common, do you think it is time we stopped building on areas that are prone to flooding?
As the global warming prediction is that weather like this is going to become more common, do you think it is time we stopped building on areas that are prone to flooding?
It's extremely difficult to convince people not to re-build in flood plains. There's always someone with money with the desire to build in a flood plain, and that money almost always overcomes any obstacles.
It is a common practice in the US. Some flood plains have been re-built dozens of times, and yet people still build there. The recent disaster in New Orleans is a good example of people building in places which are susceptible to flooding. No one with sense would live there, but millions live there anyway.
We have lahar areas here, where I am. The fact that a lahar could come rushing down Mount Rainier and wipe out a town has not stopped people from building in the path of the lahar.
Kingfisher
There have been no problems here (touch wood) but apparently there are more days of rain ahead. Hard to believe we're nearly in July isn't it!
What happened to the hottest summer on record?
We really shouldn't blame global warming for this. I was listening to a chap from the Environment Agency who was outlining many causes of the flooding - of course the heavy rain is at the root of it, but we can look to increased urbanisation, with all the concrete that's being put down; as already said, building in unsuitable places; and changes in farming practices. This last was amazing - sheep and cows are now much larger than they used to be and are compressing the surface of the land more so that water runs off more than it soaks in, so adding to flooding. Several months ago on one of the Radio 4 environmental programmes, an ecologist put the flooding of Wharfdale squarely onto the drainage of the moors which has been done to lower the water table and thereby increase the amount of heather growing so that more grouse will breed for shooting. Peat moorland normally acts as a giant sponge, soaking up rain and releasing it slowly, but once drainage channels are dug, they become eroded and increasingly drain the moor, allowing any rain to just run off straight away.
What is needed, said the chap from the E.A., is planting of more trees to intercept the rain and hold it - this is why reservoirs are usually surrounded by woodland - and make all those concrete surface more porous, as well as not building in such ridiculous places.
If you want an example of a really stupid place to build, here in Buxton, they've built a whole estate on an area that is underrun by old mine shafts. When they started clearing the site, some huge holes opened up and they seemed to be pouring concrete as if there was no tomorrow. I can't help wondering how long it will be before the first house disappears!
Why are we all in amazment at the weather ? just remember it's Wimbledon week!!
Joking aside, we haven't done bad here also in Lancashire , but poor Yorkshire on the other side of the Pennines has had it bad. I certainly would not river-bed walk or go near caves etc because of flash floods.
Like wild canon was saying about mine shafts, here, in the now extinct Lancashire coal fields could be the same scenario. The water table & movement felt when the collieries closed down was immense , all because the mines shafts were still there but there was no-pone pumping out the water that accumulated, so now I would not be surprised if properties fell down the shafts. We have had 2 locally , one in Farnworth in 50's & one in Walkden in the 60's so it is not impossible.
I think that if you have to build on a flood plain then some flood protection should have to be put in . The Government should also invest more money as we are now seeing this type of thing year on year.
Flooding is now seeming to become a yearly event like you say, so something really needs to be done by the government. The property developers don't care where they build as long as they can build, so it is up to the authorities to put in legislation stopping building - especially residential - on floodplains.
Wild Canon, that is amazing about the larger sheep and cattle, I never wouild have thought of something like that. There are so many factors involved in flooding that we can't blame it on climate change. Planting more trees would help the flooding and also does some good for the environment so is a win win situation.