Berkshire flooding also "major incident"

[adam2]

And rather quicker than the the Somerset levels, a cynic might suspect that more of the political class live in Berkshire.

Still serious though, one report speaks of a marker that showed the water height in the 1947 floods as being submerged.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26123674

Edited to add link.

[RenewableCandy]

The news article didn't mention this but, erm, Westminster's just a few hours downstream from that little lot, no?

[RenewableCandy]

NewsThump

[biffvernon]

The news article didn't mention this but, erm, Westminster's just a few hours downstream from that little lot, no?

Yes but it's tidal there so rather a different regime. It depends on the time of the month.

[RenewableCandy]

That's what I was thinking: the Barrier can protect London against what's coming in from the sea, but what protects it from what's coming down from Oxfordshire?

[biffvernon]

but what protects it from what's coming down from Oxfordshire?

You mean David Cameron?

[Tarrel]

a cynic might suspect that more of the political class live in Berkshire.

Like the Head of State, for example.

[Tarrel]

That's what I was thinking: the Barrier can protect London against what's coming in from the sea, but what protects it from what's coming down from Oxfordshire?

Someone (one of the residents) made an interesting comment on the news. She wondered if the Thames Barrier might be preventing water from flowing downstream and out to sea.

Where I live the Tain River exits into the Dornoch Firth. It's not a large river (you can wade across it) but it is fascinating to watch the battle between the two flows when the tide is coming in.

[Mean Mr Mustard]

wiki says -

After periods of heavy rain west of London, floodwater can also flow down the Thames upstream from London. Because the river is tidal from Teddington weir all the way through London, this is only a problem at high tide, which prevents the floodwater from escaping out to sea. From Teddington the river is opening out into its estuary, and at low tide it can take much greater flow rates the further one goes downstream. In periods when the river is in flood upstream, if the gates are closed shortly after low tide, a huge empty volume is created behind the barrier which can act as a reservoir to hold the floodwater coming over Teddington weir. Most river floods will not fill this volume in the few hours of the high tide cycle during which the barrier needs to be closed. If the barrier was not there, the high tide would fill up this volume instead, and the floodwater could then spill over the river banks in London. About a third of the closures up to 2009 were to alleviate fluvial flooding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Barrier

[Tarrel]

wiki says -

After periods of heavy rain west of London, floodwater can also flow down the Thames upstream from London. Because the river is tidal from Teddington weir all the way through London, this is only a problem at high tide, which prevents the floodwater from escaping out to sea. From Teddington the river is opening out into its estuary, and at low tide it can take much greater flow rates the further one goes downstream. In periods when the river is in flood upstream, if the gates are closed shortly after low tide, a huge empty volume is created behind the barrier which can act as a reservoir to hold the floodwater coming over Teddington weir. Most river floods will not fill this volume in the few hours of the high tide cycle during which the barrier needs to be closed. If the barrier was not there, the high tide would fill up this volume instead, and the floodwater could then spill over the river banks in London. About a third of the closures up to 2009 were to alleviate fluvial flooding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Barrier

Interesting. So the barrier is actually designed to protect the city from flooding from both directions.

[kenneal - lagger]

It's really serious in West Berkshire. With all the chalk downs around us the water level in the valleys is starting to rise dramatically and water just appears out of the ground and from sewers. This ground water will contribute to the Thames for weeks to come even if it stops raining now. Some West Berks council employees are doing a full days work and them working on flooding problems after on a 24 hr shift basis. I know two people doing a 16:00 to 24:00 shift after work so they're at work from 08:00 till midnight. Hope it doesn't last too long but at least they're not flooded out like many people are.

It is amazing that many people just phone up and ask for a pump to be sent as if it's the council's fault that they have water coming up into their homes. They need to take a bit of responsibility for their own predicament. People don't look at the Fung Shui of their house before they buy it. And by Fung Shui I mean the general situation of the house in relation to the neighboring natural features. This is all it's about really but it can make a significant difference to the way two similar house perform.

(Edited for appalling English - Ken)

[Tarrel]

Watching this from afar, it really is appalling to see the way the situation is unfolding. Keep safe down there.

[UndercoverElephant]

...even if it stops raining now.

That seems very unlikely at this point in the proceedings. The jet stream doesn't usually move once it is stuck like this for the winter. It is more than likely that these storms are going to continue coming in off the Atlantic like this right through until the end of April.

By which time half of England is going to be underwater.

[kenneal - lagger]

Could be worse!! If all that rain had fallen as snow we would be covered by over two metres by now.

The local weather forecast says we could be getting at least another 40mm in the tomorrow's storm alone. Then there's Friday's storm and probably the same next week!

[kenneal - lagger]

Just got this email sent on from a local news mailer

Environment Agency update

General:

· Properties Flooded: ~ 60 (mainly residential although some commercial units) across the whole district.
· Waste services – will collect where we can but some services will be disrupted. Please look at the Councils website for more information on collections.
· EOC operating 24/7
· Sewage is a real issue for many communities – we are liaising with TW but residents do need to report to TW themselves the issues otherwise they are not logged and TW do not have a full picture of the level of the impact.
· Scottish Southern Electrical site is protected – thanks to 7 Rifles (Reserves) who assisted over the weekend in filling a breach in the Kennet. The site his being monitored however just incase. The knock on effect would have been significant across the wider area.
· Military have been doing recces in the area with us in some areas where we have concerns – Purley – to assist residents to move out or move furniture up IF the situation is worse than predicted and in the Shaw area of Newbury again assessing the general situation.
· Chieveley Depot – has been used as a strategic depot for the whole of Thames Valley with respect to sandbags with the Military filling them.
· Staff are now being resourced out until this time next week due to the forecast.
· We are also looking to when this over and the recovery of everything

Support from the communities.

· Firstly thanks for all your support – all the reporting in does help us make decisions as to where to prioritise our resources (and the military)
· Please continue to feedback – ideally via the contact centre on the phone -01635 519080 or 01635 42400 out of hours or via emergencyplanning@westberks.gov.uk (I am not always working!) We will try to get back to you asap but it is very busy so please be patient. Ideally communities coordinate issues if possible.
· Please feedback details of properties known to have flooded internally (i.e. not garden or garage but in living accommodation).
· Many roads are flooded – some have flood boards up when the water is passable with care there are however some road closures in place – these are closed for a point - to save the drivers and their cars BUT also for your communities to try to stop the properties being affected by bow waves. We know this is being breached but we cannot staff them all the time however working with TVP there have been tickets issued (which I understand will be points and a fine!) hopefully this message gets out to try to reduce this happening.

It also asks people not to flush their loos to much as many houses have sewage backing up into the house.