Abingdon Soft engineering Case study Flashcards
How many properties have a 1% chance of flooding here in any given year?
1500
What happened in Abingdon in July 2007?
Flash floods, 660 properties were flooded, increased surface runoff in built up areas made it worse
What soft engineering defences are in place now?
1) gravel soakaways on the A34
2) restrictions on land use (planning permission refused on floodplain)
3) local voluntary wardens communicate advice and warnings
4) improvements to riparian buffers along smaller rivers. Planting trees reduces the volume of water reaching the Thames and Ock
5) Low value land is allowed to flood ( Tilsbury Park sports ground is being considered as an additional flood storage area)
6) Online advice about reducing flood damage ( like raising cupboards and using water resistant plaster)
7) there are new planning restrictions on housing developments on the Ock floodplain, they must have improved drainage systems.
8) Tesco were forced to reduce recent extension plans- they had to add drainage improvements such as soakaways and permeable Tarmac
9) the environment agency has a local flood warning plan, this warns specific areas at risk and provides a 24 hour flood line
Why is it difficult to measure the success of flood defences?
Because you can’t be sure if reduction in flooding is down to defences or weather
What happened in the 2008 floods?
There was less damage than in previous years, with minimal cost, little disruption to community services, no lives lost and only a few injured. However flooding does still happen
What flooding did occur in 2008?
The Ock flood plain with developments on didn’t get flooded.
The Thames floodplain did get flooded but it is largely clear of developments due to land use management and planning restrictions!
Which two flood plains is Abingdon on?
The Thames floodplain and the Ock floodplain
