living in the uk- somerset levels Flashcards
What is the name of the case study
A UK flood event caused by extreme weather conditions
Location and brief description
The Somerset Levels is a vast flat agricultural area in South West England. It is South of Bristol, between the Quantock and Mendip hills. In January 2014, an area of total 65km2 was flooded.
Explain a physical and a human cause of the flooding event
Physical- It was the wettest winter period since over 100 years ago- twelve major storms between December 2013 and February 2014. Flat and low lying land makes it prone to flooding.
Human- The River Parrett hadn’t been dredged for about 20 years, the channel was clogged with silt so its capacity to cope with floodwater was limited.
Two social effects
600 homes were damaged
Some villages were cut off for several weeks eg Muchelney
Two economic effects
Cost to Somerset economy was an estimated £82 - £147 million
Farm animals had to be moved out and sold- loss of profit
Two environmental effects
Floodwater was polluting- contained sewage, dead animals, and waste
7000 hectares of agricultural land was underwater for several weeks
One long term and one short term response
Short term- the Environment Agency installed pumps sourced from as far as the Netherlands to transport water back into the rivers
Long term- Somerset Levels and Moors Flood action plan put into place, budget of £100 million. So far involved dredging the River Tone and River Parret.
