Flooding in the Somerset Levels, 2014 by Christina Mann

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GEOACTIVE 549 Flooding in the Somerset Levels, 2014 By Christina Mann

A case study about the Relevance to specifications causes, impacts and Exam Link to specification management of flooding board on the Somerset Levels AQA A Unit 1: Physical Geography, Section B, Water on the land, page 13 For a period of three months from http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-9030-W-SP-14. December 2013 to February 2014, PDF the Somerset Levels hit the national AQA B Unit 1: Managing Places in the 21st century, The coastal headlines as the area suffered from environment, pages 8–10 http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-9035-W-SP-14. extensive flooding. At the height of PDF 2 the winter floods, 65 km of land on Edexcel A Unit 2, The Natural Environment, Section A, The Physical the Levels were under water. This World, Topic 2: River Landscapes, pages 21 and 22 was caused by human and physical http://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/ GCSE/Geography-A/2009/Specification%20and%20 factors. The floods were the most sample%20assessments/9781446911907_GCSE_ severe ever known in this area. Lin_Geog_A_Issue_5.pdf No one was prepared for the extent Edexcel B Unit 1, Dynamic Planet, Section B, Small-scale Dynamic Planet, Topic 6, River Processes and Pressures, page 17 of damage brought by the http://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/ floodwater. Several villages and GCSE/Geography-B/2009/Specification%20and%20 farms were flooded and hundreds of sample%20assessments/9781446911914_GCSE_Lin_ Geog_B_Issue_5.pdf people had to be evacuated. OCR B Unit 562, Key Geographical Themes, Theme 1: Rivers The risk of flooding is likely to and Coasts, pages 12 and 13 increase in the future due to climate http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/82581-specification.pdf change. The government will need WJEC A Unit 1: The Core, The Physical World, Theme 1, Managing Rivers, page 16 to invest in flood defences in order http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/geography/ to protect areas at risk. geographygcse/16128.pdf?language_id=1 WJEC B Unit 2: Living in Our World, Theme 2: Physical Processes and Relationships Between People and Environments, Key vocabulary pages 16 and 17 saturated, flood, floodplain, http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/17213.pdf dredging, sandbags, hard CCEA Unit 1: Understanding Our Natural World, Theme A: The engineering Dynamic Landscape, ‘Sustainable management of rivers’, pages 9 and 10; a copy of the specification can be downloaded from: Learning outcome http://www.rewardinglearning.org.uk/microsites/ geography/gcse/index.asp By the end of this case study you Cambridge Theme 2: The Natural Environment, Rivers, page 16 will be able to identify: IGCSE http://www.cie.org.uk/images/150857-2016-syllabus. pdf ●● the different causes Edexcel Section A, The Natural Environment and People, Topic 1, ●● the impacts IGCSE River Environments, page 7 ●● the management responses https://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/ IGCSE%20New%20IGCSE/IGCSE2009_Geography_ of a flood event in an economically (4GE0)_Specification.pdf developed country.

© Oxford University Press 2016 GeoActive Series 27, Issue 2, January 2016 1 GEOACTIVE 549 Flooding in the Somerset Levels, 2014 In December 2013, an may have had a natural 183.8 mm, which is unusually high amount of vulnerability to floods but no approximately 200% rainfall began to fall on the one was prepared for the scale higher than average for Somerset Levels and this of the floods or the impacts that that month (Figure 2). That continued into February 2014. followed (Figure 1). was the wettest since With so much water, the records began in 1910. ground became saturated, What caused the ●● Saturated ground: The forcing both the river Parrett flooding on the long period of rainfall and the river Tone to flood. Somerset Levels? caused the ground to become saturated so that it The physical characteristics of A river flood is when the the Somerset Levels and could not hold any more river bursts its banks and water. Moors mean that flooding is a spills onto the surrounding ●● Low-lying land: Much of natural occurrence there. It is floodplain. A floodplain is an the area lies at, or just a an area of low-lying farmland area of low-lying ground next few metres above, sea level, and wetlands between the to a river, formed mainly of putting it at risk of flooding. Mendip and Blackdown Hills river sediments. A flood can in central Somerset. This area last just a few days or several ●● High tides and storm forms the floodplain weeks. A flood event is often surges from the Bristol surrounding the river Parrett. caused by a combination of Channel: These prevent the floodwater from being Thousands of years ago the area physical and human factors. taken to the sea, forcing it was covered by the sea. It has to back up the rivers. since been drained to allow for A flood event is often agriculture, several villages and “ caused by a combination Human causes wetland conservation. It has of physical and human ●● Lack of dredging: Over become an area of social, factors. the years the rivers had economic and environmental ” become clogged with importance. It covers an area of sediment. The Environment 650 km2 but has a low Physical causes Agency had decided to stop population density (the number ●● Prolonged rainfall: In dredging the rivers some of people per km2). The area January 2014 in southern time earlier. Dredging England, rainfall totalled increases the ability of a river to carry more water. Bristol Channel N ●● Change in farming practices: Much of the land has been converted from grassland to grow maize. Bridgwater This more intensive use of Glastonbury the land means it is less able to retain water, causing it to

River SOMERSET run over the surface rather Tone than being absorbed. Somerton Taunton Key Langport River Somerset Levels Impacts of the Parrett Areas under water, 0 10 km 11 January 2014 Somerset floods The widespread flooding on Figure 1 The extent of flooding across the Somerset Levels, January 2014 the Somerset Levels made Source: Environment Agency GeoActive Series 27 Issue 2 the national headlines. Many Fig 549_01 Mac/eps/illustrator v15 s/s OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS © Oxford University Press 2016 GeoActiveArtist: Da vidSeries Russell 27, Illustration Issue 2, January 2016 2 GEOACTIVE Flooding in the Somerset Levels, 2014 549

some form of flooding in the past but no one was quite prepared for the scale of these floods. Thankfully no one died, but many people suffered flood damage to their homes, possessions and farmland (Figure 3). Many people were evacuated and had to seek temporary accommodation elsewhere. More than 600 homes and 6880 hectares of farmland were flooded. Entire villages were cut off after roads became unusable. In the village of Muchelney, residents could only leave the island by a boat which left every two hours (Figure 4). Isolated communities provided an opportunity for thieves. In January, 900 litres of fuel was stolen from a pumping station in Westonzoyland. By early February, there were reports Figure 2 Rainfall anomaly map for the period 1–28 January 2014 Source: © Crown Copyright; Met Office of stolen heating oil and quad bikes from homes of flood people visited the affected known as ‘flood tourists’.) victims. Many of the main areas to see the famous Many of the people living on roads were closed, such as floods. (Such people became the Levels had experienced the A361 which links Taunton and Street. Trains on the Bristol line between Bridgwater and Taunton were also disrupted. The economic costs soon started to rise. Fuel for emergency pumps used to reduce water levels cost £200 000 per week. Local businesses reported over £1 million in lost business. According to ‘Visit Somerset’ the floods on the Somerset Levels cost the county’s tourism industry £200 million. Figure 3 Aerial view of a small village between Taunton and Yeovil on the Farmers struggled to deal with Somerset Levels Source: SWNS/Alamy flooded fields, ruined crops and

The fire brigade visited hundreds of properties, and rescue boats were used to help stranded people. In early February, rescue crews encouraged the residents of Moorland to evacuate. Owners of around 80 homes agreed but about 30 other residents chose to remain (Figure 6). Extra police patrols were brought in to respond to increased crime. By the end of January, the army had been sent in with specialist equipment. They delivered food and gave Figure 4 Residents of Muchelney approaching Langport by boat out sandbags. By 6 February Source: Adrian Sherratt/Alamy they were joined by 40 Royal the costs of moving livestock sandbags to protect their Marines. Sixty-five pumps away from the affected areas. homes and moved valuable were used to drain 65 million After nearly three months items upstairs. One man even m3 of floodwater. under millions of tonnes of built a giant wall out of clay There was a lot of local water, much of the soil was and soil around his house in support for those affected by damaged. It may take up to Moorland to protect it from the floods, led by the two years to restore the soil so the floodwaters. organisation FLAG (Flooding that crops can be grown. Flood-hit home owners are 24–31 December South West England is hit by storms. Flood likely to see their insurance warnings are issued by the Met Office. costs increase in the future. 3 January The village of Muchelney is completely cut off by floodwater. Management and 3–4 January RSPCA leads a rescue of cattle and horses from response a farm on the Levels. 6–7 January Evacuation of residential properties begins. “The response to the floods 24–25 January Tonnes of pumping equipment is brought in by was rapid and well the Environment Agency. organised. 27 January Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is ” confronted by angry residents for his failure to dredge the rivers. The response to the floods 29–31 January Military and specialist vehicles are brought in to was rapid and well organised, help. as expected for an 4 February The Prince of Wales is escorted through the economically developed floods by boat, declaring the scene ‘a tragedy’. country (Figure 5). The Met 5–6 February Two severe flood warnings are issued. 40 Royal Office issued an amber Marines are deployed to help. warning for heavy rain in 13–16 February The Environment Agency imports 13 high- South West England. They capacity pumps from the Netherlands. informed the public to be 5–6 March David Cameron declares ‘money is no object’: a prepared for significant 20-year Flood Action Plan is devised. flooding. Many residents used Figure 5 How the response unfolded, with key dates

of flood defence, such as ‘I was mobilised to Moorland, one of the communities that was flood relief channels. Can the affected. When I arrived at the scene, it was like an apocalypse. I had never seen anything of this magnitude. All around there was government afford to spend floodwater. The Fire Service’s first role was to prevent loss of life, so much money in a rural so evacuations were the priority and then rescue, by boat, of area with a low population? people who were stranded. After this, the many different rescue Climate change may mean agencies were put to work on the construction of temporary flood that this area will receive defences using sandbags and defence barriers. People had been more heavy rain in the notified well in advance, so only a limited number of people needed rescuing. The problem we encountered was that a number future. The Met Office has of people were reluctant to leave because they were afraid of predicted that sea levels looting, despite extra police being drafted into the area to help around the UK will rise by with security.’ 11–16 cm by 2030. It may be that spending money on Figure 6 Extract from an interview with Phil Musgrove, a local firefighter hard engineering flood defences is not the best on the Levels Action Group). by the Conservative option for this area. The Volunteers organised fund- Government, a further government may save money raising activities and £10 million came from the in the long term by moving collected and distributed Department for Transport, people to higher land, and to supplies of food. They also and the Department for pay them money for their used social media via Communities and Local homes and farms. However, Facebook and Twitter to Government gave £500 000. this is unlikely to be a communicate news. It formed part of a 20-year popular option. plan for the Levels. It had the backing of Prime Conclusion There was a lot of local Minister David Cameron “ The recent floods support for those affected who stated: ‘We cannot let demonstrate how more by the floods. this happen again’. ” people have put themselves Future at risk of flooding by living on this low-lying floodplain. The longer-term response considerations Farming and settlement focused on flood In November 2014, the increased because people management to prevent a Environment Agency (EA) thought that flooding in the future flood of this scale. kept its promise and area was under control. This This took the form of completed the 8 km dredging was clearly not the case and it ‘The Somerset Levels and of the rivers Parrett and Tone, is therefore not surprising Moors Flood Action Plan’. It costing £6 million. This will that the local people felt so let included measures such as be a huge help in the down. There were many dredging, a tidal barrage, protection of homes and impacts of this flood, but they and extra permanent farmland. Some people have could have been far worse if pumping sites, with a total argued that dredging alone is it had not been for the cost of £100 million. A sum not the answer and it should effective and rapid response of £10 million was provided be used alongside other forms that followed.

Activities

1 Study Figure 1. Physical Human a Name the two rivers that causes causes flooded in the Somerset 1 1 RESPONSES Levels. b Flooding took place to the 2 2 east of Taunton. True or Figure 7 Spider diagram: Responses false? 3 Study Figure 2, which shows to the flood c Complete the following the location of the Somerset sentences, using words Levels within the UK. Using the 6 Using the outline in Figure 7, from the list below. key, state the percentage of the produce a spider diagram to January average for this area. Large parts of the summarise the responses to this flood. ______suffered 4 The Somerset Floods had many from flooding. Patches of impacts. Find the answers to 7 Work in small groups to flooding occurred to the the following questions. research hard and soft south-east of ______a How many people lost their engineering strategies to and to the ______lives? manage flooding. Suggest of Taunton. Flooding can be b How many homes were which ones you think would be seen ______but affected? most suitable for this flood. not at the Use the following website to c How many litres of fuel was ______. get you started: stolen from a pumping inland east coast www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ station? Somerset Levels Bridgwater gcsebitesize/geography/ d How much money did the water_rivers/river_flooding_ 2 Make a larger copy of the table floods cost the tourist management_rev5.shtml above. Write down two industry? physical and two human 8 Research a flood event in a causes of the floods. 5 Figures 3 and 4 show the poor country. Compare the impact of the flood. Describe impacts of that flood with how people were affected by those of the Somerset Levels the flooding. flood.

Learning checkpoint

floodplain ● The Somerset Levels floods occurred during hard engineering winter 2013/14. They were the most severe ever known in this area. sandbags saturated ● A huge lake was created covering 11 500 ha which affected more than 600 homes and thousands of hectares of farmland. Remember this case study To help you remember this case study, make notes ● The flood led to an efficient response from the local community and the national under the following headings: government. Over £10 million has now been What were the causes of the Somerset Levels floods? invested in flood protection for the area. What were the primary and secondary impacts? How was this flood event managed in both the short Glossary task term and the long term? Write glossary definitions for these terms: Try to make your notes fit a single sheet of A4. dredging You could even use a detailed mind-map to help you. flood