For a period of three months from December 2013 to February 2014, the Somerset Levels hit the national (United Kingdom) headlines as the area suffered from extensive flooding. At the height of the winter floods, 65 km2 of land on the Levels were under water. This was caused by human and physical factors. The floods were the most severe ever known in this area.
No one was prepared for the extent of damage brought by the floodwater. Several villages and farms were flooded and hundreds of people had to be evacuated. The risk of flooding is likely to increase in the future due to climate change. The government will need to invest in flood defences in order to protect areas at risk.
In December 2013, an unusually high amount of rainfall began to fall on the Somerset Levels and this continued into February 2014. With so much water, the ground became saturated, forcing both the river Parrett and the river Tone to flood.
The physical characteristics of the Somerset Levels and Moors mean that flooding is a natural occurrence there. It is an area of low-lying farmland and wetlands between the Mendip and Blackdown Hills in central Somerset. This area forms the floodplain surrounding the river Parrett.
Thousands of years ago the area was covered by the sea. It has since been drained to allow for agriculture, several villages and wetland conservation. It has become an area of social, economic and environmental importance. It covers an area of 650 km2 but has a low population density (the number of people per km2 ). The area may have had a natural vulnerability to floods but no one was prepared for the scale of the floods or the impacts that followed
A river flood is when the river bursts its banks and spills onto the surrounding floodplain. A floodplain is an area of low-lying ground next to a river, formed mainly of river sediments. A flood can last just a few days or several weeks. A flood event is often caused by a combination of physical and human factors.
Physical causes
Prolonged rainfall: In January 2014 in southern England, rainfall totalled 183.8 mm, which is approximately 200% higher than average for that month (Figure 2). That was the wettest since records began in 1910.
Saturated ground: The long period of rainfall caused the ground to become saturated so that it could not hold any more water.
Low-lying land: Much of the area lies at, or just a few metres above, sea level, putting it at risk of flooding.
High tides and storm surges from the Bristol Channel: These prevent the floodwater from being taken to the sea, forcing it to back up the rivers.
Human Causes
Lack of dredging: Over the years the rivers had become clogged with sediment. The Environment Agency had decided to stop dredging the rivers some time earlier. Dredging increases the ability of a river to carry more water.
Change in farming practices: Much of the land has been converted from grassland to grow maize. This more intensive use of the land means it is less able to retain water, causing it to run over the surface rather than being absorbed.
The widespread flooding on the Somerset Levels made the national headlines. Many people visited the affected areas to see the famous floods. Such people became known as ‘flood tourists’. Many of the people living on the Levels had experienced some form of flooding in the past but no one was quite prepared for the scale of these floods. Thankfully no one died, but many people suffered flood damage to their homes, possessions and farmland (Figure 3).
Many people were evacuated and had to seek temporary accommodation elsewhere. More than 600 homes and 6880 hectares of farmland were flooded. Entire villages were cut off after roads became unusable. In the village of Muchelney, residents could only leave the island by a boat which left every two hours (Figure 4).
Isolated communities provided an opportunity for thieves. In January, 900 litres of fuel was stolen from a pumping station in Westonzoyland. By early February, there were reports of stolen heating oil and quad bikes from homes of flood victims. Many of the main roads were closed, such as the A361 which links Taunton and Street. Trains on the Bristol line between Bridgwater and Taunton were also disrupted. The economic costs soon started to rise. Fuel for emergency pumps used to reduce water levels cost £200 000 per week. Local businesses reported over £1 million in lost business. According to ‘Visit Somerset’ the floods on the Somerset Levels cost the county’s tourism industry £200 million.
Farmers struggled to deal with flooded fields, ruined crops and the costs of moving livestock away from the affected areas. After nearly three months under millions of tonnes of water, much of the soil was damaged. It may take up to two years to restore the soil so that crops can be grown. Flood-hit home owners are likely to see their insurance costs increase in the future.
The response to the floods was rapid and well organised, as expected for an economically developed country (Figure 5). The Met Office issued an amber warning for heavy rain in South West England. They informed the public to be prepared for significant flooding. Many residents used sandbags to protect their homes and moved valuable items upstairs. One man even built a giant wall out of clay and soil around his house in Moorland to protect it from the floodwaters.
The fire brigade visited hundreds of properties, and rescue boats were used to help stranded people. In early February, rescue crews encouraged the residents of Moorland to evacuate. Owners of around 80 homes agreed but about 30 other residents chose to remain (Figure 6). Extra police patrols were brought in to respond to increased crime. By the end of January, the army had been sent in with specialist equipment. They delivered food and gave out sandbags. By 6 February they were joined by 40 Royal Marines. Sixty-five pumps were used to drain 65 million m3 of floodwater.
There was a lot of local support for those affected by the floods, led by the organisation FLAG (Flooding on the Levels Action Group). Volunteers organised fundraising activities and collected and distributed supplies of food. They also used social media via Facebook and Twitter to communicate news.
The longer-term response focused on flood management to prevent a future flood of this scale. This took the form of ‘The Somerset Levels and Moors Flood Action Plan’. It included measures such as dredging, a tidal barrage, and extra permanent pumping sites, with a total cost of £100 million. A sum of £10 million was provided by the Conservative Government, a further £10 million came from the Department for Transport, and the Department for Communities and Local Government gave £500 000. It formed part of a 20-year plan for the Levels. It had the backing of Prime Minister David Cameron who stated: ‘We cannot let this happen again’.
In November 2014, the Environment Agency (EA) kept its promise and completed the 8 km dredging of the rivers Parrett and Tone, costing £6 million. This will be a huge help in the protection of homes and farmland. Some people have argued that dredging alone is not the answer and it should be used alongside other forms of flood defence, such as flood relief channels. Can the government afford to spend so much money in a rural area with a low population?
Climate change may mean that this area will receive more heavy rain in the future. The Met Office has predicted that sea levels around the UK will rise by 11–16 cm by 2030. It may be that spending money on hard engineering flood defences is not the best option for this area. The government may save money in the long term by moving people to higher land, and to pay them money for their homes and farms. However, this is unlikely to be a popular option.
The recent floods demonstrate how more people have put themselves at risk of flooding by living on this low-lying floodplain. Farming and settlement increased because people thought that flooding in the area was under control. This was clearly not the case and it is therefore not surprising that the local people felt so let down. There were many impacts of this flood, but they could have been far worse if it had not been for the effective and rapid response that followed.