Stopping the floods - time to think out of the box

It's a matter of balance. Any defensive scheme is based on probability/cost ratio. Chuck enough cash at it and you can have a bulletproof system but is that realistic and are we prepared to pay for something that may never be needed? Recent rainfall has been unprecedented. The question is do we or should we plan for anticipated or unprecedented.

Write your comments here...Noah comes to mind.

His was both unprecedented AND anticipated. 

I think since the floods on the Somerset levels some have woken up to the facts ,but as has been said by several professional people over the last couple of years, rather than the "experts" of the past,we will have to do more towards reducing the damage to property by making them flood resistant ,as no amount of money will eliminate the problem,York is a classic example of local "experts" not doing anything when it was already known that the Foss barrier pumps and equipment was vulnerable because of rising water levels

To be fair JVB, I don't think it was the Somerset levels flooding that woke people up, but the dozens and dozens of times places like York, Pickering, SW Scotland, Cumbria etc.... have flooded. And the sea wall at Dawlish collapsing, there was another predictable, waiting to happen!

The Somerset levels are just that. A gigantic flood plain artificially reclaimed, and overwhelmed by poor maintenance last year. Not called the Isle of Avalon by chance.

People of Pickering, including local politicians were keen to show Liz Truss what had been done to protect their town, that used to flood very badly on a regular basic. Environmental work up on the moors has kept them safe this time. Was LT interested in scheme? No, not really. Hardly registered with her and the handrags around her. They don't listen, they don't really care. It is all reaction, not prevention, at least on the scale it should be.

JVB could you explain to me how can you build,do maintenance with a reducing amount of money, we are supposedly going in an upward direction so why isn't money available.

JVB could you explain to me how can you build,do maintenance with a reducing amount of money, we are supposedly going in an upward direction so why isn't money available.

Md..you do not seem to be in touch with the environment agency updates since we started to recover from the greedy bankers fiasco, and the professionals rather than the "experts" of the past

It started when some people who really knew what they  talking about, to be listened to after Tewksbury and Gloucester floods,but then came the Banking crisis which stopped just about investment in anything that was not already started,  But as I said local "experts" who bury their heads in the sand as has happened at York

JVB it doesn't matter what experts you have, as I said earlier the flood money was reduced by 27% according to an article in yesterday's Gaurdian, and they have been cutting it since 2010. 

One could also question why is the £52bn HS2 'vanity project' being prioritised over and above the need for new and vastly improved flood defences for the UK.

To be fair JVB, I don't think it was the Somerset levels flooding that woke people up, but the dozens and dozens of times places like York, Pickering, SW Scotland, Cumbria etc.... have flooded. And the sea wall at Dawlish collapsing, there was another predictable, waiting to happen!

The Somerset levels are just that. A gigantic flood plain artificially reclaimed, and overwhelmed by poor maintenance last year. Not called the Isle of Avalon by chance.

People of Pickering, including local politicians were keen to show Liz Truss what had been done to protect their town, that used to flood very badly on a regular basic. Environmental work up on the moors has kept them safe this time. Was LT interested in scheme? No, not really. Hardly registered with her and the handrags around her. They don't listen, they don't really care. It is all reaction, not prevention, at least on the scale it should be.

.One thing you have to take into account when any government minister, who ever is in power ,is on a "meet and greet"they have no real concept of real life outside the " hallowed"walls of politics, it is left to the "yes minister" staff to actually implement what can be accomplished with what info they can glean from those in the real world

JVB it doesn't matter what experts you have, as I said earlier the flood money was reduced by 27% according to an article in yesterday's Gaurdian, and they have been cutting it since 2010. 

One could also question why is the £52bn HS2 'vanity project' being prioritised over and above the need for new and vastly improved flood defences for the UK.

e...The guardian enough said not getting thread shut but why after 2010 was it when the they looked at the books

PS I agree about HS2 as do most of my ex colleagues

Is that the best retort you can give me?! Not sure what you are trying to say.  I will retire from what could be an interesting discussion as the thread might be shutdown.