In the last 12-18 months, the UK has been suffering from some of the worst flooding since records began, causing devastation and millions of pounds worth of damage across the country. While flood defences are gradually improving, increasingly heavy rainfall is pushing these beyond their limit.
Last year, the Environment Agency issued 21 of the most serious flood warnings in less than a month; in October this year some areas of the UK experienced up to 15mm of rainfall in a single 24 hour period.
Thunderstorms have given parts of N Eng 10-15mm of rain an hour recently. Showers ease from west over next 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/5S0feOtGqB
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 6, 2015
What Are The Local Risks?
Plenty of data has been captured by the Met Office which gives an insight into the level of rainfall the South of England experiences, and this includes specific local areas such as Berkshire. What the information reveals is that, while specific levels vary, over time the risk of high levels of rainfall is consistent; the last year or so is unlikely to be a one-off.
Some summary statistics are:
- South of England experienced 55.3mm rainfall in October 2015 – 78% of typical average, which means the risks are consistent
- Local areas, including, Berkshire received on average 1-3mm of rain in a 24 hour period (October 2015)
- South England is consistently given flood alerts by Environment Agency, which includes areas such as Berkshire.
- The South of England experience more than 200% of the national rainfall average last January.
Could It Happen Again?
The answer is, simply, yes. The average rainfall in the South of England is relatively consistent year on year so, if rain is heavy enough, rivers are likely to burst their banks and cause flooding again.
The only problem is for local authorities to prevent this on a large scale across the county. Currently, councils are trying to implement plans to reduce risks, but the available budget is limited and not as big as it needs to be.
Fixing the issue is likely to cost several millions of pounds to fix properly, but this is money that local councils simply don’t have to spend.
How Do I Protect My Home?
While councils aim to prepare for future flooding, it’s also important to take your own measures and focus on your own home/local areas. There are some key things anyone can do to reduce flooding risks:
- Be prepared – follow the live flood warnings from the Environment Agency
The BBC have also aggregated a list of key authorities and organisations to follow, which they’ve titled the “Severe Weather Twitter List”.
- Permeable surfaces more specifically aggregates such as the solutions we provide here at Grabloader, offer the best chances of reducing risks.
This is because the materials intercept rainfall at the sources, and also negate the need for any other solutions – such as sediment traps and gullies.
Scottish National Heritage say that options like aggregates make sure that, in periods of heavy rainfall, that water runoff is reduced – which in turn reduces the risks of flash flooding.
Essentially, if you’re based locally in Berkshire you are among some of the higher flood risk areas of England and the UK as a whole. There’s an awful lot you can do to be prepared for when higher rainfall appears towards the end of the year/early next year – and physically protecting your property can have an enormous impact.
You can view our range of aggregates online, as well as speaking with our team, to ensure you’re able to get the best solution to meet your property and surrounding area. With great knowledge of the local area, we’re able to provide a custom solution with the right type of aggregates in the right place to protect you from flooding.
Feature image source:
“Thatcham Floods 2007” by David Joyce – IMG_4249.JPG. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
