Page 1 NFU Briefing Circulation: Members Date: 13.12.2013 Ref: Version 2 - Revised notes on recovery on pages 5-7. Contact: Ian Moodie Tel: 024 7685 8650 December 2013 tidal surge floods – Agricultural impact The tidal surge experience between Thursday 5 and Saturday 7 December 2013 was the most serious in over 60 years. An area of low pressure caused a large tidal surge, with gale force northerly winds and large waves coincided with spring tides peaking. The shape of the coasts around the North Sea acts as a funnel, squeezing the water into an ever narrowing gap. This combination of factors resulted in significant coastal flooding to Rhyl and Denbigshire in North Wales and isolated parts of Northwest England from midday on Thursday before the storm surge began to track down the East Coast of England from Thursday afternoon and through the night into Friday. Higher than average tides continued into Saturday although largely these only affected areas where defences had previously been damaged from the day before. In places waters were higher than those seen during the devastating floods of January 1953, waters in Hull rose by 5.8metres and at the Thames Barrier it was the highest tide seen since its completion in 1984. The Environment Agency has reported that the Figure 1: (Environment Agency) Severe Flood Warnings (Red) and Flood Warnings (Orange) around England and Wales as surge resulted in the flooding of around 1,400 at 17.30 on Thursday 5 December 2013. properties, with 18,000 people evacuated and 64 severe flood warnings issued. Official estimates have not yet been provided for the area of agricultural land flooded. However, anecdotally it is estimated that in excess of 2,000ha of farmland has been flooded, over 1,000ha of which were around the Humber Estuary and River Ouse. Estimates have not been made for the Norfolk coast, Broadlands or lower Trent Valley. NFU Mutual has said that it is dealing with more than 300 claims for storm damage to property. For those farmers affected the focus is now on draining any land still underwater, clearing rubbish debris and silt from fields and drainage channels, and recovering the condition of land as well as repairs and recovery of buildings, homes and machinery. Freshwater reservoirs may also have become contaminated by salt water. At the end of the briefing (page 5) are some notes on recovering agricultural land following salt water flooding. Information about SPS following flooding events is available for members here (you need to log in). The voice of British farming Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, neither the NFU nor the author can accept liability for errors and or omissions. © NFU Policy Services/NFU Briefing/December 2013 Tidal Surge Page 2 NFU Briefing The Environment Agency has said that they are assessing flood defences in those areas where breaches and overtopping has occurred. Breaches aside, a common concern from farmers affected are where the surge has overtopped defences resulting in scouring and cracking of the landward face, particularly for stretches where vegetation on coastal embankments is not managed, or is less frequently mowed or grazed. There are calls for urgent repairs to be undertaken by the Environment Agency before any further winter storms and the next very high tides which are scheduled at the beginning of January 2014. Figure 2: Typical damage to a coastal Guidance for those whose homes and properties have been embankment, East Yorkshire (James affected by the floods is available from the Environment Agency Copeland) website. BBC Farming Today (12.12.2013) included a feature on the damages as a result of the storm surge. Reporting from Yokefleet, Yorkshire they spoke with arable farmer Paul Martinson and James Copeland, NFU North East Regional Environment Adviser. Listen again here (available until Thursday 19 December 2013). How has the flooding affected your farm business? The NFU would like to hear from members affected by flooding as a result of the storm surge in order to get an estimate of the impact on the agricultural sector. If you were affected and would like to share any photographs or information about the flooding please drop our Flood Risk Adviser Ian Moodie an email at [email protected]. The following summarises the impact to agricultural in each NFU region, it does not try to repeat information available elsewhere regarding damage to people and property. The briefing is gathered from accounts from members, regional advisers and the media. North East Approximately 1,000 hectares of agricultural land have flooded around the Humber. Along the North Bank of the Humber pumping operations by the Ouse & Humber Internal Drainage Board, Environment Agency and East Riding of Yorkshire Council were continuing to remove standing water from roads and fields in the Blacktoft, Faxfleet and Yokefleet area (~650 ha flooded) into this week. Land here flooded to a depth of around 3ft, water travelling over half a mile inland and taking 3 to 4 days to be drained/pumped Figure 3: Flooded farmland (~650ha) at Yokefleet, North Bank off. of the Humber (James Copeland) On the South Bank of the Humber near Reedness a length of the coastal defence bank which is 9 inches lower than surrounding defences overtopped spilling through the village and onto agricultural land (~250ha). This has since drained, but the rate of the flood has caused scouring damage to drainage channels in the area. On the Holderness Peninsula approximately 400ha had flooded near Welwick, Sunk Island, Weeton, and Skeffling. Elsewhere there was flooding to land around Goole between the Rivers Ouse and Aire (~50ha) and at Boothferry Bridge (~50ha). The voice of British farming Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, neither the NFU nor the author can accept liability for errors and or omissions. © NFU Policy Services/NFU Briefing/December 2013 Tidal Surge Page 3 NFU Briefing East Riding of Yorkshire Council has confirmed that assistance can be applied for under the council’s local welfare assistance scheme, which provides emergency loans or support grants to residents and businesses. Image: Yokefleet Video: Blacktoft, Faxfleet and Yokefleet from the air (Humberside Police) Image Welwick East Midlands The South Bank of the Humber was perhaps worst affected with the village of South Ferriby and surrounding land, including a poultry farm, almost entirely submerged. Around 700,000 broiler chickens were drowned by the surge waters on the Thursday night. The extent of the flooding here is as yet unquantified but certainly runs into hundreds of hectares. As with other parts along the south bank these areas flooded rapidly but also drained away relatively quickly too. The surge has left widespread damage to the South Humber bank defences where cracks, gaps and slumping has occurred. Floodwaters overtopped banks along the River Trent in and around the Isle of Axholme including the villages of Susworth, Goxhill Barrow, Butterwick, and Keadby. On the Lincolnshire coast Jubilee Bank north of Boston broke in two places and the reclaimed outer marsh flooded approximately 200ha from the South as far as Sea Lane at Friskney. Flood water will remain until the gaps are sealed and the water is pumped out. Jubilee Bank is a privately owned flood bank and the outer line of defence, whilst the primary defence sits approximately half a kilometre inland. South of Boston a breach in sea defences resulted in a substantial pumping operation by Black Sluice IDB where close to 200 million litres of sea water was pumped back into the Haven over two days at Wyberton Marsh Pumping Station which serves a mixture of agricultural land, Wyberton village and South Boston. The Environment Agency are holding drop in sessions for the public to discuss the flooding in Boston: Wednesday 11 December Boston Market (11am-3pm) Thursday 12 December Boston Crafts Day, near St Botolph’s church (10am-3pm) Friday 13 December Asda, Lister Street (11am-3pm) North Lincolnshire Council has created a £100,000 relief fund to help people across North Lincolnshire who have been affected by the severe flooding. Image: North Lincolnshire from the air (Humberside Police) Video: South Ferriby, North Lincolnshire from the air (Humberside Police) Image: Poultry units at South Ferriby East Anglia In Norfolk there are likely to be some cliff top arable land losses, but no estimates yet. At Burnham Deepdale in North Norfolk breaches in flood bank has resulted in flooding to around 200ha of farmland. The land flooded to around 4ft in depth and water has remained on land for several days after the event. The Environment Agency is asking people to avoid walking on flood defences which have footpath closure orders on them due to damage by the recent storm surge. In a number of coastal locations in Norfolk the flood banks have been weakened or damaged by the tide making them unstable and unsafe to walk on. The main locations of concern at the moment are: Brancaster, Burnham Deepdale, Blakeney, Cley Beach Road. Alternative routes are being signposted to walkers. The voice of British farming Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, neither the NFU nor the author can accept liability for errors and or omissions. © NFU Policy Services/NFU Briefing/December 2013 Tidal Surge Page 4 NFU Briefing Around 7 breaches in Suffolk have resulted in flooding to low-mid hundreds of hectares of agricultural land. Farmers are concerned about contamination of fresh water irrigation reservoirs with salt water. Repairs are being undertaken by EA and others to coastal defences. Cliff collapses at Benacre and elsewhere in north Suffolk have resulted in possibly as much as 20 acres of lost arable land.