Interfering with nature

[Buckman]

One of mankind's biggest issues is interfering with the natural course of events i.e. creating weirs and locks on rivers and in this case the River Severn. Flood defences have also created further problems downstream. We have seen the flooding getting worse ever year although the rainfall appears to have remained about the same. This is an interesting article about a riverside pub that was built before weirs etc were installed on the river Severn. See HERE

 

[otherclive]

What about the large number of homes and buildings that have been introduced in to the catchment area of rivers. The rainfall run off happens far more quickly than before the developments took place. This is happening along the length of rivers so when we get these rainfall events over a short period of time water run off happens more rapidly than it used to. The weirs and lock of the Severn have been installed for many years. In our area the Avon is controlled by locks and weirs from Chippenham right through to Bath.-Bristol. Action was taken in the 1960s to protect Bath, and it worked, but upstream towns have now seen flooding more regularly as the flood meadows cannot cope. Probably due to heavier rainfall events exacerbated by new developments.
Recently Bradford on Avon had two town flood events, the most recent broke the record for water height. And where we now live areas flooded this winter that had not been flooded since the 1960s. No weirs or locks have been fitted since then, so it’s primarily down to rainfall quantities overloading the drainage capability exacerbated by new buildings, and even more houses and business parks have planning approval putting more pressure on the catchment drainage.

Bradford on Avon 2012, five more times since. EA removed flood defences in case they failed rapidly and caused loss of life. Businesses cannot reinsure and are moving out, or giving up.

 

[Buckman]

If weirs and locks had not been built on river Severn more than likely flooding may be a lot less? When we first moved near the river Severn, dredgers were operating, but now they are redundant.

I am no expert, but surely during the course of a year, the river washes down sand debris etc which then builds up behind he weir making the river shallower and more prone to flooding.

Regarding housing, not far from us there is a new housing estate that was built where the river Severn used to flood on occasions!

 

[RogerL]

One of mankind's biggest issues is interfering with the natural course of events i.e. creating weirs and locks on rivers and in this case the River Severn. Flood defences have also created further problems downstream. We have seen the flooding getting worse ever year although the rainfall appears to have remained about the same. This is an interesting article about a riverside pub that was built before weirs etc were installed on the river Severn. See HERE

Locks, and most sluices, on rivers are capable of being fully opened at times of flood - with no hindrance to water flow.

The River Severn has always suffered floods as it rises in the Welsh mountains and fed by several contributaries which also rise in the Welsh mountains - the same mountains which have always had a lot of rainfall.

It is true that flood defences in one town will increase the risk of flooding in the next town downstream!

Ironically, the dams that beavers build are credited with reducing flooding as they hold back the water at times of high rainfall - so dams/weirs aren't necessarily the problem.

The problem is too many people who all need somewhere to live - I'm not suggesting euthanasia but benefit systems which encourage large families aren't helping.

 

[otherclive]

Locks, and most sluices, on rivers are capable of being fully opened at times of flood - with no hindrance to water flow.

The River Severn has always suffered floods as it rises in the Welsh mountains and fed by several contributaries which also rise in the Welsh mountains - the same mountains which have always had a lot of rainfall.

It is true that flood defences in one town will increase the risk of flooding in the next town downstream!

Ironically, the dams that beavers build are credited with reducing flooding as they hold back the water at times of high rainfall - so dams/weirs aren't necessarily the problem.

The problem is too many people who all need somewhere to live - I'm not suggesting euthanasia but benefit systems which encourage large families aren't helping.

I really think your last sentence is clutching at straws, as the number of large (define large) families on benefits must be a minute portion of the population needing houses. There has been a general growth in the population since the early 2000s all of whom require housing, and places to work.

 

[Buckman]

Locks, and most sluices, on rivers are capable of being fully opened at times of flood - with no hindrance to water flow.

The River Severn has always suffered floods as it rises in the Welsh mountains and fed by several contributaries which also rise in the Welsh mountains - the same mountains which have always had a lot of rainfall.

It is the weirs that are the biggest issue. During floods we have never seen the locks being opened as on river Severn that are a separate entity and off to the side of a weir. However I do not know if that is the same further down the river as can only speak for the river from Bridgnorth to Upton on Severn.

 

[Buckman]

I really think your last sentence is clutching at straws, as the number of large (define large) families on benefits must be a minute portion of the population needing houses. There has been a general growth in the population since the early 2000s all of whom require housing, and places to work.

I agree as it is highly unlikely they will be housed in the new housing estates especially where the cost of a home starts at around £250000!

 

[RogerL]

It is the weirs that are the biggest issue. During floods we have never seen the locks being opened as on river Severn that are a separate entity and off to the side of a weir. However I do not know if that is the same further down the river as can only speak for the river from Bridgnorth to Upton on Severn.

I don't know much detail of the Severn locks - although I lived in Shrewsbury for 18 months directly overlooking one of the wiers which seemed to cope well enough with a Welsh monsoon. The water would be about 8 ft deep on top of the wier and just continue at that level downstream.

I was brought up near the River Great Ouse where all the locks had a guillotine gate and at times of snow thaw, when floods were at their worst, both gates were opened allowing huge amounts of water straight through.

 

[Jcloughie]

If weirs and locks had not been built on river Severn more than likely flooding may be a lot less? When we first moved near the river Severn, dredgers were operating, but now they are redundant.

I am no expert, but surely during the course of a year, the river washes down sand debris etc which then builds up behind he weir making the river shallower and more prone to flooding.

Regarding housing, not far from us there is a new housing estate that was built where the river Severn used to flood on occasions!

Fully agree. More frequent dredging down stream would greatly remove the chances of flooding upstream as it would ease and speed the flow out to sea.

John

 

[Beachball]

We were at Whitby some weeks ago the river esk at Ruswarp had flooded and some properties had been affected the road still had some laying water , had to turn around and go the other way .

 

[Buckman]

Fully agree. More frequent dredging down stream would greatly remove the chances of flooding upstream as it would ease and speed the flow out to sea.

John

Do boats still travel up the river Severn to Gloucester or do they use the Sharpness canal?

 

[GUMPY]

Do boats still travel up the river Severn to Gloucester or do they use the Sharpness canal?

Only the mad and foolhardy go up the river over Maismore weir. It's only possible on very large spring tides.
Most use the canal it's what it was built for.
All the weirs on the Severn downstream of Stourport are fixed and do not open unlike the ones on the Thames.

 

[GUMPY]

Wye Invader 2 has been over Maismore and other interesting places.
To let you see what it's like being washed up the river on a 9metre tide.

View: https://youtu.be/pdJdCZdKG_s?si=XvuN5NXz8ybQ9wPp

 

[Buckman]

Give ma a proper speedboat or cabin cruiser an day. I used to love water skiing. LOL!

 

[otherclive]

Wye Invader 2 has been over Maismore and other interesting places.
To let you see what it's like being washed up the river on a 9metre tide.

View: https://youtu.be/pdJdCZdKG_s?si=XvuN5NXz8ybQ9wPp

Years ago we hired a narrow boat at Upton and headed north. With two young kids and dogs it wasn’t my best decision for a weeks holiday. What struck me most was the strength of the river flow required lots of engine power to make headway, and had anyone fell overboard manoeuvring that boat would not have been easy given its size, shape and low power. So until we left the river for the canals kids and dogs were kept inside. This was my boat when I was in Canada, a Cheverton sea boat. Ideal for the canals and rivers.

And the speed boat too.

 

[Buckman]

I had my own speedboat which was about 14' with a Mercury 35hp pushing it. To try and slalom was difficult and slow as engine not up to it but no issue with 2 skis and you didn't need sunglasses, life jackets etc.

 

[Jcloughie]

Many years ago a friend used to impress his customers by taking them on a speedboat trip. He had a powerful outboard aluminium hulled boat. He would jump the boar. I don’t know if he went up or down stream. That is, over or through.

But I find the boar is very strange. Once I walked along the river with the dog. Everything went quiet, the dog was clearly spooked. Then a small boar, (about 5 inches), went past. After which normal service resumed with birds singing again.

John

 

[Dustydog]

I'm a volunteer Flood Warden, now called Resilience Warden responsible for sections of the Upper River Thames and River Key,

Our area is a natural flood plain recognised as such by the Romans. Hence the houses were kept away from the rivers. With progress that changed substantially causing more housing and more importantly a decline in the dredging and clearing of the rivers , ditches , brooks and other natural water courses. Some were actually blocked up when the new A419 by pass was built.
The biggest offender is Thames Water who daily discharge thousands of gallons into both rivers because their sewage plant can't cope .

Our new South Cotswolds MP has set up a Flood Action Group. The first public meeting involved over 100 people all of whom are concerned.

We are home to the UK's largest water meadow, The North Meadow. Famous for its fritillaries, the Snake Worts. Currently owned by Natural England. Another quango🙀.


This isn't about weather patterns but man made interventions and/ or lack of it.

 

[otherclive]

There’s no doubt weather patterns are changing especially with regard to high intensity periods of rain that exit the catchment more quickly than in yesteryear, but undoubtedly exacerbated by man made development that puts more of the rainfall into the drainage systems than they can cope with.

 

[Mr Plodd]

The climate is changing everywhere, and very quickly, just look at the floods that have occurred in Spain recently! All the dredging in the world wouldn't have prevented them.
Then there's the Antartic ice shelf breaking up, and countless glaciers receding at never before seen speeds.
We're all doooomed Capt Mainwaring, doooomed I tell ye!

I have just had some pictures sent to me by my daughter of the monster iceberg that has run aground off South Georgia she took whilst overflying it As CEO for S Georgia Govt Its in "her" territorial waters
If I can figure out a way I will post a few.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Sorry they are screen shots, I can't figure out how to copy them as pictures.
It's a pretty awesome beast of a berg, 40 miles by 100 miles! The bit sticking out of tge water us higher than the Shard, so just think how much is below the surface!

 

[otherclive]

It’s at risk of affecting penguin breeding areas, and by diluting the sea water and cooling it krill levels are dropping, affecting cetaceans.

 

[Mr Plodd]

It’s at risk of affecting penguin breeding areas, and by diluting the sea water and cooling it krill levels are dropping, affecting cetaceans.

The thing is 50 - 60 MILES off the coast of S Georgia, so way beyond the breeding penguins fishing areas. It is expected to disintegrated in months rather than years due to the (relative) warmth of the sea, and strong currents it is now stationary in. So the melt water is being borne away from the area quite rapidly.
The seas around S Georgia are incredibly rich in sea life of all kinds, toothfish and krill fishing are big business, but are totally sustainable.

The jury is out on what the overall effect of this iceberg is going to be. Many in the scientific community think the stirring up of the sea bed this berg is going to cause will release vast amounts of nutrients into the water, and that will cause the already truly vast amounts of krill currently present to balloon to unbelievable levels. That will feed everything further up the food chain including whales, many if which migrate to the area because of the current abundance of krill.

 

[otherclive]

As if the end of January there was a fear its trajectory would affect penguin areas, and other wildlife. So the RISK is still real according to reports in National Geographic. At present it’s grounded on the continental shelf as you say 50-60 miles away. But it’s drift speed when freed can be 1 mile per day.

Some previous icebergs have had a detrimental effect on wildlife in that area.

The world's largest iceberg is on a collision course with vital penguin sanctuary

This megaberg is the size of Rhode Island and weighs a trillion tons. It could ground to a halt near South Georgia, a critical wildlife haven.

www.nationalgeographic.com

 

[Buckman]

Sorry they are screen shots, I can't figure out how to copy them as pictures.
It's a pretty awesome beast of a berg, 40 miles by 100 miles! The bit sticking out of tge water us higher than the Shard, so just think how much is below the surface!

Thanks for the pictures.