Somerset Levels Case Study Flashcards
1
Q
What are physical factors as to why Somerset need the plan?
A
- 3 times the average amount of precipitation fell on already saturated ground
- Storm = high tides = risk of flooding
2
Q
What are the human factors?
A
- lack of regular dredging for the last 20 years ( sediment build up = reduces captivity in rivers= risk of flooding)
3
Q
What is the 20 year flood plan?
A
£100 million pounds to be spent on.
- water pumping stations
- regular dredging
- widening local rivers
4
Q
Where is Somerset?
A
South west England
5
Q
What are social impact of the flooding?
A
- 600 plus homes destroyed and many evacuated
- villages cut off with only access in and out by boat
Major transport lines were either disrupted or cut off completely - Insurance prices spored
6
Q
What are the economic impacts?
A
- People coz run into abandoned houses and steal peoples belongings.
- Total cost of the damage = £80 mil
- local companies lost £1.2 mil
- the loss of the tourism costed the country £200 mil
7
Q
What are the environmental impacts?
A
- 1500 hectares of land flooded
- destroyed farmland and crops
- standing water made the land toxic and unusable for over a year
- mud and debris left from the floods damaged the vegetation.
8
Q
How did they prepare?
A
- emergency services created a warning system to give people time to prepare
- sandbags and flood boards were used to limit damages of peoples homes.