The Flooding of Summer 2007 in Sheffield - Case Study Example

Student’s name Jeff Holden Environmental Management 14 July 2010 Report on The Flooding of Summer 2007 in Sheffield Executive Summary In June 2007 record breaking heavy rainfall was experienced by the population of United Kingdom. In particular Sheffield, approximately 1200 homes were flooded causing death of two people. Nearly 1000 businesses had a negative impact of these floods. Almost 1300 people were evacuated from the flood waters by the emergency agencies and the supply of electricity and water was cut off as a precautionary measure (Environment Agency 53). Effective warnings were made to 34,000 homes to help them deal with the flood situation (Review of 2007 summer floods 3). It caused significant financial losses and damage to the environment. Transportation also suffered due to floods that were ranked the most expensive in the world as insurance companies had to pay losses for almost 3 billion pounds whereas the rest were compensated by the government and local authorities. This report will identify the contributory factors causing floods, as well as the role of responsible agencies that were involved in the risk management process in such situation. There are significant lessons to be learnt from the outcome of 2007 flooding regarding the flood risk management effectiveness so that remedies could be done in future events (Pitt xiv). This report has been compiled using references from various sources. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 The contributory factors causing the floods 4 The immediate impact and significant risks caused by the flooding 5 Identifying the agencies involved and outlining their response and role during the event including the recovery phase 5 Assessment of learning outcomes 7 Flood Forecasting 8 Recommendations to prevent future flooding 8 Works Cited 11 Introduction Sheffield, lying at the plain where three fast flowing rivers Don, the Loxley and Sheaf combine, suffered more than average persistent rain fall in June and early July of the year 2007. “Over 90mm of rain fell over Sheffield in 48 hours around 15 June, but this was surpassed by even heavier rain on 25 June when almost 100mm fell in just 24 hours” (Environment Agency 53). River levels were swelled by heavy rain fall blocking the city’s drainage systems thus resulting in extensive floods. Land mark buildings were flooded and a bridge collapsed causing millions of pound losses (Environment Agency 53). The contributory factors causing the floods River flooding resulted as prolonged rainfall spilled the water of River Don due to overflow causing it to affect the surrounding valleys. An electric substation in north Sheffield suffered damage due to flood waters causing a massive breakdown of power supply in connected regions (Harthmen 2). Massive scale property devastation was observed as most of the businesses were developed on the river Don’s natural flood plains. As continued rainfall caused the ground to become saturated, most of this heavy rain fell on the developed plains. One of the factors could be low air pressure as air condensation resulted in precipitation. The drainage system was overwhelmed with increase in surface water (Environment Agency 53). Most of the agencies responsible for flood risk management failed to cooperate with one another resulting in large scale disaster. In 2007, no mechanism to warn against pluvial flooding was devised. Another cause of flooding was the inappropriate gully system. The gullies and drains were unable to cope with heavy rain as paved surfaces behave as drenched soil in urban areas. This excess of water filled depressions of land causing floods (Harthmen 10). The immediate impact and significant risks caused by the flooding Due to the extensive floods, hundreds of people became homeless, roads washed away and businesses culminated. Helicopters circled the Sheffield to rescue people from the devastated areas (Britten). With 414mm of rain, evident risks involved health concerns, the Health Protection Agency warned people for coming in direct contact with the floodwater. Cultivated crops were damaged and the entire city suffered financial and property loss. “Where floodwater contained sewage, crops had to be destroyed and to avoid contamination of new crops”, restrictions were imposed regarding when future planting would take place (Menteth 7). Engineers and related rescue agencies had to work tirelessly to pump water out of the Ulley Reservoir in Yorkshire with the fear that the Dam might burst due to excessive water load (Economist). Identifying the agencies involved and outlining their response and role during the event including the recovery phase A number of agencies were involved in the rescue operation of summer 2007 floods. A brief overview of some of them is given below: Environment Agency in England is in charge of protecting people from the consequences of floods like giving them effective mechanism for defense and securing the property (Hanlon 30). The Environment agency was responsible for water courses and making arrangements for tidal flood defense. Other duties “include mapping the likely extent of floods, developing procedures to prepare for flooding emergencies, liaising with local authorities and the emergency services, and running and taking part in training exercises” (Courlhard et al.11). In case of an emergency, Environment Agency had to work in joint collaboration with the Metrological Office to forecast the impact of rainfalls on the associated rivers and to warn public, local authorities alike about the arrival of flood. EA had also developed a twenty four hour helpline to tell the subscribers about the magnitude of flood and the expected dangers. But the warning system of Environment Agency was only designed to warn people against coastal, estuarine or river flooding. The Environment Agency of UK is apt at assessing and predicting the weather forecast beforehand through maps and models but information regarding the surface water flood risk was not satisfactory. This was one of the reasons that flooding in the month of June 2007 was extensive without any prior preparation to deal with the disaster (Pitt xiii). Yorkshire Water was responsible for cleaning the sewers and drainage system whereas home owners were held accountable for the gullies. In 2007 floods most of the property damage was due to culverts and ditches being overwhelmed. Surface water flooding was controlled to some extent by Highway Agency (Environment Agency 54). In a review by the Environment Agency concerning its progress during the time of floods 2007, it was envisaged that civilians were confused who is to blame for the surface water flooding that caused them to suffer heavy losses but in particular no single agency was solely responsible for the management of surface water floods. Such problems are likely to increase with further ageing of infrastructure and change in weather (56). Fire and Rescue Service was responsible to deal with any pollution incident such as an increased health risk during floods. They had to cooperate with the Environment Agency at the time of emergency. The service encompasses the use of all pumping devices to ensure rapid removal of excess water. FRS had been facilitated with high volume pumps HVPs by the UK government to deal with excess water as a result of flooding and “other incidents with the potential to cause flooding e.g. embankment failure” (Hanlon 114). Throughout England, the River Agency and Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland as well as such organizations announced flood warnings, maintained and monitored the structures of rivers and promoted sustainable development practices. SEPA (Scottish environment Protection Agency) was responsible for issuing warnings about upcoming floods in Scotland, whereas local authorities were assigned the tasks of defense and property protection (Hanlon 30). Defra (the department for environment, food and rural affairs) is a department of UK government that is responsible for healthy environment in risk situations. It also develops policies regarding flood management and emergencies (defra 1). Assessment of environmental management systems during flooding Assessment of learning outcomes Sir Michael Pitt carried out an independent review on 2007 flooding to see what lessons are meant to be learnt for any such future events. He suggested that the government should ensure proper flood resilience measures. Finance for risk management should be pre planned rather than ad hoc. He proposed that government should create awareness regarding the property issues in flood risk areas so that property owners could use preventive measures like insuring their possessions (Pitt 2). In response to this report the government launched its review in 2009 showing its progress regarding remedial measures after the 2007 floods. The report indicates that since summer 2007, the Environment Agency has devised almost 106 new flood defense schemes protecting nearly 63800 homes in England (defra 10). To develop more tailored warnings before flood Environment agency is working with Western Power Distribution (defra 12). FRCO (A flood rescue concept of operations) is almost ready to be consulted as a standard procedure for rescue teams and other agencies so that situation could be managed in a systematic and timely manner (defra 13). Flood Forecasting Environment Agency together with Met Office is making progress to warn population through the FFC (Flood Forecasting Centre) about extreme rainfall alert. Recommendations to prevent future flooding A joint collaboration of environmental agencies will help to facilitate public bodies. The benefit could be observed not only in forecasting floods but also in the provision of defense for dealing with a climatic change. Emergency responders should be alert for instructions given by the local and regional authorities for the advanced risk management services (Pitt xiii). To protect existing properties from flooding, the paving of the front and rear gardens could possibly be beneficial in the natural drainage of rain water which would otherwise not soak in the ground causing an increase in the surface water. The Government needs to take action regarding the automated right of developers to connect new constructions with the public sewers already laid underground as this laid an additional stress on the sewerage systems in 2007 floods. It should be included in the city’s building regulations that if it is permissible by the government to build or renovate on a flood plain, than all development planned by the architects should be flood resilient (Pitt xv). “A sustainable drainage system is the generic name for a range of techniques which seek to deal in an integrated way with the issues of water quantity, water quality and amenity. They seek to manage surface water run off as near to source as possible, slowing down run-off, treating it naturally and releasing good quality surface water to watercourses or groundwater. Their use involves moving away from a reliance on traditional underground pipe drainage systems to engineering solutions that replicate natural drainage processes”(PPS 15 38). Regions that are at high risk of being flooded should adopt property level resistance and resilience measures like using door guards to seal entrance spaces or barriers to avoid water entering in the buildings. Sandbagging could be an effective way for blocking doors to prevent flood water to damage property. “Evidence from the summer demonstrated that insufficient capacity of drainage systems can play a crucial part in surface water flooding”(Pitt xvii). It is difficult to increase the capacity of the entire drainage system but if proper provisions are made in the current system the worst could be avoided. Local Surface Water Management plans as discussed under (Planning Policy Statement 25) PPS25 should be implemented to manage local flood risk. A long term investment strategy should be devised by the government to deal with the financial issues for risk management plans. “One flood defense measure which has proved to be increasingly successful is use of natural processes such as using farmland to hold water and creating wash lands and wetlands. Keeping water away from urban areas and slowing its progress to minimize runoff proved successful in the summer. Natural processes are even more effective for smaller scale events” (Pitt xix-xx). Combined Kerb and Drainage blocks are made of precast concrete and are projected at the edges of roadsides where the road is shallow and has the chance to be at risk of floods. Roadside preventive treatments should include wetlands, filter drains and vegetative systems. Sedimentation lagoons can slow down the velocity of flow from the sewer system. They are usually built above flood plain level to provide storm water control (Hanlon 55). Particularly in the Sheffield area, a lack of communication was observed between the Environment Agency and water and drainage companies. After this catastrophe, Environment Agency has devised a “Sheffield Catchment Flood Management Plan” that was completed in 2009 but its implementation is still pending. “It is therefore unlikely that any major EA scheme for Sheffield would commence for at least four years and there is little chance of implementation before 2013-14 at the earliest” (Harthmen 9). Greater clarity is needed in terms of responsibility for dams and reservoir overtopping as Environment Agency alone couldn’t tackle such situation. Another main issue is to develop confidence among people to start their businesses in the flood affected areas ensuring them all possible protection (Harthmen 11). Works Cited Britten, Nick. "People of Sheffield show steel." 2007. Coulthard, Tom. "The June 2007 floods in Hull." Interim Report by the Independent Review Body. 2007. Defra. "The Government‟s Response to Sir Michael Pitt‟s Review of the summer 2007 Floods." Progress Report. 2009. Economist. "Floods bring disaster to Britain." 2007. Hanlon, David. Fire and Rescue Manual, Volume 2 . United Kingdom: Crown Copyright, 2008. Harthmen, et al. "Final Report on the Flooding of Summer 2007." 2008. Menteth, Alice Stuart. "UK Summer 2007 Floods." 2007. Pitt, Micheal. The Pitt Review:Learning lessons from 2007 floods. London, 2008. Review of 2007 summer floods. Bristol: Environment Agency, 2007. "The Planning Policy Statement 15 : Planning and Flood Risk." 2006. Read More