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somerset floods


tothby1
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There does seem to be a back-story whereby this disaster was caused, or at least exacerbated, by following EU policy.

 

In 2008, when the EA was run by Baroness Young, this was reflected in a policy document which classified areas at risk of flooding under six categories, ranging from "Policy Option 1", where flood defences were a priority, down to "Policy Option 6" where, to promote "biodiversity", the strategy should be to "increase the frequency of flooding". The Somerset Levels were covered by Policy Option 6, aimed at turning them into "habitat museums".

 

It was in that year that Baroness Young explained in an interview that creating wildlife habitats could be very expensive, but that by far the cheapest way was simply to allow natural flooding. As she gaily put it: "Just add water". Around this time she was heard to say of the Somerset Levels that she would like to see "a limpet mine attached to every pumping station".

 

The EA's strategy has been driven at every point by its wish to conform with the laws and ideology of the EU – right down to the thickets of bureaucracy that make it virtually impossible, under EU waste rules, to dispose sensibly of the silt dug by locally managed drainage boards from the 1,000 miles of ditches designed to keep the Levels dry.

 

By far the most positive political intervention in this disaster to date, woefully misreported by the media, has been that made recently by the Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson. After talking behind closed doors to an array of local experts, he announced that by next month he wants to see a detailed action plan to prevent any repetition of a disaster that has now hit the Levels three years in a row.

 

from here

 

And here is a link to a PDF of the offending EU policy document that seems to be responsible

 

Heads should roll IMO.

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I may be a bit of a cynic, but I wonder if the powers that be have miscalculated, I think they like a certain level of disaster, it helps them sell the whole "global warming" thing, which allows them to tax us in the name of green wash. I think there has be deliberate lack of action to allow a certain level of disaster, but its been way worse than they expected.

 

I wouldn't disagree with your reasoning but I doubt very much that any aspect of modern government would actually be competent enough to formulate and then implement such a plan even if they did wish to do so.

 

Never blame malice for that more easily explained by ineptitude.

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I wouldn't disagree with your reasoning but I doubt very much that any aspect of modern government would actually be competent enough to formulate and then implement such a plan even if they did wish to do so.

 

Never blame malice for that more easily explained by ineptitude.

 

Very true :biggrin:

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[attach]148189[/attach]

home sweet home :(

 

Just gets better and better for you mate :thumbdown::thumbdown:

Hope they've sorted you out with somewhere fairly local to live.

I think I'm coming down next weekend, not certain yet but if I get a chance I'll stop by and see if you're about.

Keep smiling

Bob

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We desperately need to stop the silt entering our rivers, unfortunately catchment sensitive farming projects are too fragmented. Widening our rivers to increase their capacity to hold water slows down the flow which means that silt is deposited and the rivers capacity is reduced again. I do think there is a place for dredging but dredging whole stretches of river is so costly it's not going to happen. IMHO EA are useless but they also have very little cash so it's up to us to do something about it. I would reccomend setting up a rivers trust to tap into extra cash and change farming practices to stop silt entering the river then restore the flow of the river and set up sections of river to use as silt traps which can be dredged. It all sounds so simple, if only it was!

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We desperately need to stop the silt entering our rivers, unfortunately catchment sensitive farming projects are too fragmented. Widening our rivers to increase their capacity to hold water slows down the flow which means that silt is deposited and the rivers capacity is reduced again. I do think there is a place for dredging but dredging whole stretches of river is so costly it's not going to happen. IMHO EA are useless but they also have very little cash so it's up to us to do something about it. I would reccomend setting up a rivers trust to tap into extra cash and change farming practices to stop silt entering the river then restore the flow of the river and set up sections of river to use as silt traps which can be dredged. It all sounds so simple, if only it was!

Hi mate how can we stop the sh:t as you say at this time thanks Jon

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