‘Feels like a losing battle’: the fight against flooding in Somerset | Somerset
Ever since medieval monks began draining and managing the Somerset Levels, humans have struggled to live and work by the water.
“At the moment it looks like a losing battle,” said Mike Stanton, chairman of the Somerset Rivers Authority. “Intense rains are hitting us more often because of climate change. It may be that in the next 50 years, maybe in the next 20, some houses here will have to be abandoned.”
Stanton spoke to the Guardian at Northmoor pumping station, near Bridgwater, as six giant temporary pumps released six tonnes of floodwater per second from saturated moorland into the River Parrett.
The emergency pumps had been put in place to support the permanent pumps after Storm Chandra, in a desperate attempt to prevent flooding of homes in nearby villages such as Moorland and Fordgate.
Both communities made headlines around the world when they flooded in 2014. Millions of pounds were invested trying to keep the water at bay, but by mid-afternoon on Thursday the level at a nearby monitoring point was at 7.76m (nearly 25ft 6in). Flooding of a property is possible when it exceeds 6.6 m.
With a new severe weather warning from the Met Office for rain in force on Thursday afternoon and evening, fears were growing that water could reach homes again.
Julian Taylor, who lives in Fordgate, had moved many of his belongings upstairs. “I think we’re going to have to evacuate,” he said. “The water is moving even faster than in 2014. I don’t know where we will go. We have been pressuring them for weeks to install more pumps.”
On the edge of the Moor, the Notaro family, well-known local builders, were moving earth and bringing in stone to build an embankment – an embankment – around their house. They did the same in 2014 to keep the water away.
The Moorland village hall has been transformed into a sort of emergency meeting point. An Environment Agency (EA) incident command unit and mobile police station were parked outside.
Throughout the day Thursday, villagers visited each other, talked to EA staff, and comforted each other. Some were in tears. “I stopped watching the media and reading about the EA on the website,” said one Moorland resident, who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s just too stressful for me. I just keep my head down and hope.”
Local people praise EA staff who operate the pumps trying to keep their homes out of water. They are also grateful that the Parrett is clear of silt: On Thursday, a small Dutch dredger was carrying out routine sailing along the river. But they criticize the head of the body and the British government for not doing more.
The Flood Action Group (Flag) warned on Thursday that residents were facing another “catastrophic” flood. He accused the EA of not being “nimble” enough as Chandra headed to southwest England, arguing the temporary pumps should have been installed sooner.
The group also called for the Northmoor pumping station to be upgraded so that there is no need to install additional pumps every time there is a significant storm.
Jim Flory, EA’s environment manager for Wessex, denied the response was slow. “We think our response has been ahead of the curve,” he said. Additional pumps were installed before the agreed “trigger points” for them had even been reached.
Three storms – Goretti, Ingrid and now Chandra – have hit south-west England this year. Extreme precipitation is becoming more frequent and more intense in many regions of the world due to human-caused climate change.
Flory said parts of southwest England were experiencing record rainfall. Last week, a rain gauge near Taunton recorded the wettest seven-day period (January 20-26) in at least 30 years. The Parrett and Tone River catchments received 207% of January’s long-term average precipitation.
The EA and the UK government say several million dollars have been invested to raise roads, improve drainage and increase pumping capacity.
Floods Minister Emma Hardy said: “The floods are devastating and my thoughts are with those affected. I am in regular contact with the Environment Agency regarding their response to the ongoing flooding who, alongside local authorities and emergency services, are already taking steps to keep communities safe. I urge residents to follow local advice over the coming days to ensure their safety.”
