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Structural Survey

ISSN : 0263-080X

Article publication date: 30 August 2011

Recently, the focus of UK and European flood risk management policy has been towards promoting the uptake of property level flood adaptation measures. Despite this focus, the take‐up of property level flood adaptation measures (both resilient and resistant) remains very low. One of the apparent barriers to uptake is the cost of installing such measures. This study aims to investigate the cost of adopting resilient reinstatement measures by considering a small number of actual properties that were flooded in Cockermouth during 2009.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary data obtained from a loss adjusting company provides the basis for analysis. The data take into consideration the cost benefit of resilient repair, assuming the same properties were flooded again. The traditional reinstatement costs were established as the actual cost of putting the properties back in a like‐for‐like manner while resilient reinstatement costs were established by creating new resilient repair schedules based on recommended good practice.

The results of the study show that the percentage extra cost for resilient reinstatement over traditional repair cost ranged from 23 to 58 per cent with a mean of 34 per cent depending on the house type. However, while resilient repairs were found to be more expensive than traditional (i.e. like‐for‐like) methods, they were found to significantly reduce the repair costs assuming a subsequent flood were to take place. Resilient flood mitigation measures seem most promising and, given repeat flooding, will help in limiting the cost of repairs up to as much as 73 per cent for properties with a 20 per cent annual chance of flooding, which indicates that the up‐front investment would be recovered following a single subsequent flood event.

Originality/value

The uptake of resilient reinstatement among the floodplain property owners in the UK is very low and one of the reasons for the low uptake is lack of understanding of the cost and benefit of adopting such measures. While there have been previous studies towards investigating the costs of resilient reinstatement, it is believed that this is the first to use real claims data and information to analyse the tangible costs/benefits of resilient reinstatement.

• Resilient reinstatement
• Resistance measures
• Intangible impacts
• Tangible impacts
• Cost benefit analysis

Joseph, R. , Proverbs, D. , Lamond, J. and Wassell, P. (2011), "An analysis of the costs of resilient reinstatement of flood affected properties: A case study of the 2009 flood event in Cockermouth", Structural Survey , Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 279-293. https://doi.org/10.1108/02630801111162350

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Floods in 2009 and 2015 were worst in Cumbria for centuries – study

Analysis in north-west England linked to evidence of UK’s vulnerability to climate crisis

The floods of 2009 and 2015 in north-west England were the worst for more than 550 years, according to groundbreaking analysis of lake sediment in the region.

Residents have long suspected that the devastating floods were the worst in living memory, but this confirmation – from an analysis of lake sediment layers – provides a unique window on to the history of flooding in one of the wettest parts of England, and reveals the global climate crisis.

Floods in the region in 2009 and 2015 – the latter the result of Storm Desmond – grabbed the headlines at the time, but are increasingly being linked to evidence of the UK’s vulnerability to the climate emergency. The new analysis shows that the most recent floods were unprecedented in key respects.

In 2015, more than 50,000 homes in Cumbria were flooded or had severe impacts from flooding. While the loss of life was relatively small, the damage to local people is still being felt in many areas. Similarly, floods in 2009 left thousands of people displaced from their homes, which took years to be resolved.

Richard Chiverrell, a professor of physical geography at the University of Liverpool, and the lead scientist conducting the research, said: “The convergence of information suggests a link with a warmer world and recent extreme flooding is likely.”

He said factors such as the way land is managed and changing farming practices were likely to have only a small effect, compared with the overriding force of changing weather.

He added: “The unprecedented nature of the recent phase of extreme floods accords with statements from the Environment Agency that climate changes and associated impacts on the frequency and magnitude of extreme events are one of the greatest challenges facing our society.”

This is believed to be the first time such an analysis has been used to gauge recent flooding against historic norms in the UK, and the same technique could be used elsewhere to form a wider picture of flooding in Britain in recent years.

The researchers studied Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria, where each flooding event leaves a distinct layer of sediment at the bottom. Flooding leaves much coarser sediment than normal deposits, because it washes in large amounts of material from the surrounding hills and streams. That left researchers with a much easier task in sorting out which layers came from particular events.

In their paper , published in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, the team of researchers led by the universities of Liverpool and Southampton compared the evidence of lake sediment from the floods of 2009 and 2015 with the 558-year record from the sediment at the bottom of the Bassenthwaite lake.

David Sear, a professor at the University of Southampton, said: “For the first time, we have been able to take sedimentary records from lake beds and convert them into the kind of data used by flood risk managers. These are the events that cause most damage and cost to society, so improving our ability to estimate their chance of occurring is important.”

• Natural disasters and extreme weather
• Climate crisis
• Storm Desmond

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Environmental Challenges 101

Written by lec.101 students at the lancaster environment centre, rising waters in cockermouth: the impacts of flooding on communities.

by Gabriella Goodridge – 

Flooding severely impacts human populations, accounting for an estimated 157,000 deaths and combined loss of 1891 billion US$ worldwide from 1994-2015 [1]. Floods may also indirectly result in other disasters from small-scale landslides to large scale events like nuclear meltdowns.

Figure 1: Flooding aftermath – broken walls at Southwaite Bridge. Image: Morebyless, CC BY 2.0 [3]

The 2009 Cockermouth floods occurred on quite a large scale, affecting ~700 residential properties and 225 businesses (80% of businesses in the town). A flood risk journal surveyed a number of businesses, 75% of which were flooded and a further 17% of which weren’t, however claimed they had experienced indirect impacts. [4]

The table below analyses the importance of primary and secondary effects on businesses:

Overall, from this data we can see the vast amount of impacts on businesses. Primary (short-term) impacts included travel difficulties, spoiling/damage of products and loss of electricity. Secondary (long-term) impacts included an increase in insurance costs and loss of trade down the line.

Looking at this data, the secondary effects are more likely to be the “indirect effects” faced by the 17% of businesses mentioned before. The original paper notes that visitors were deterred from travelling here due to the belief that it was “inaccessible”. [4]

Figure 2: “Rankings of impacts according to relative importance index (RII) values”. [4]

One woman who was interviewed by the BBC claimed that not only was she “stranded on the first floor of her home” but also that she was pondering “am I going to survive or not?” [5]. This implies that as well as community spirit and business being degraded by the aforementioned economic impacts, there may also be some form of trauma in individuals from these floods.

Finally, environmental impacts result from flooding. This may include pollution as sewage and chemicals are washed into the water, contaminating it [6]. Also, the river may get eroded more quickly if it bursts its banks resulting in potential habitat destruction and more debris downstream [6]. Judging by the nature of the 2009 flood we can assume that the surrounding area would have experienced these described impacts.

In conclusion floods vary at a range of scales and impacts. The 2009 Cockermouth floods describe how not all floods are necessarily deadly but still can have detrimental effects on people, business and the environment. Hence, we must do our best to not only prevent flooding in the first place but also to have suitable measures in place to aid business and victims if one occurs.

• Williams, M. (2017), 3 billion people affected by flooding disasters in 20 years. Channel 4 News. Viewed 21/11/2020 https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/2-3-billion-people-affected-by-flooding-disasters-in-20-years#:~:text=Flooding%20has%20accounted%20for%20nearly
• McCall, I. et al. (2016), Cockermouth S.19 Flood Investigation Report. Cumbria County Council, page 8.
• Morebyless, CC BY 2.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Southwaite_Mill_Bridge_Cockermouth_November_2009.jpg
• Wedawatta, G. et al. (2012). Small businesses and flood impacts: the case of the 2009 flood event in Cockermouth. Journal of Flood Risk Management Volume 7, Issue 1. Blackwell Publishing Ltd and The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), pages 42–53.
• (2013), Cockermouth floods: How community coped with 2009 devastation. BBC News. Viewed 22/11/2020 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-22772151
• (N.D), Impact of flooding. BBC Bitesize. Viewed 29/11/2020 https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztb78mn/revision/3

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An analysis of the costs of resilient reinstatement of flood affected properties: A case study of the 2009 flood event in Cockermouth

• School of Arch, Tech and Eng

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Resilience measure
• Flood protection
• Intangible impacts
• Reinstatement
• Cost benefit analysis
• Tangible impacts

Access to Document

• 10.1108/02630801111162350

Fingerprint

• repair Earth & Environmental Sciences 100%
• cost Earth & Environmental Sciences 97%
• analysis Earth & Environmental Sciences 50%
• cost-benefit Earth & Environmental Sciences 39%
• flooding Earth & Environmental Sciences 26%
• flood risk management Earth & Environmental Sciences 22%
• mitigation measure Earth & Environmental Sciences 18%
• floodplain Earth & Environmental Sciences 15%

T1 - An analysis of the costs of resilient reinstatement of flood affected properties

T2 - A case study of the 2009 flood event in Cockermouth

AU - Joseph, Rotimi

AU - Proverbs, Professor David

AU - Lamond, Professor Jessica

AU - Wassell, Peter

PY - 2011/8/30

Y1 - 2011/8/30

N2 - PurposeRecently, the focus of UK and European flood risk management policy has been towards promoting the uptake of property level flood adaptation measures. Despite this focus, the take‐up of property level flood adaptation measures (both resilient and resistant) remains very low. One of the apparent barriers to uptake is the cost of installing such measures. This study aims to investigate the cost of adopting resilient reinstatement measures by considering a small number of actual properties that were flooded in Cockermouth during 2009.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data obtained from a loss adjusting company provides the basis for analysis. The data take into consideration the cost benefit of resilient repair, assuming the same properties were flooded again. The traditional reinstatement costs were established as the actual cost of putting the properties back in a like‐for‐like manner while resilient reinstatement costs were established by creating new resilient repair schedules based on recommended good practice.FindingsThe results of the study show that the percentage extra cost for resilient reinstatement over traditional repair cost ranged from 23 to 58 per cent with a mean of 34 per cent depending on the house type. However, while resilient repairs were found to be more expensive than traditional (i.e. like‐for‐like) methods, they were found to significantly reduce the repair costs assuming a subsequent flood were to take place. Resilient flood mitigation measures seem most promising and, given repeat flooding, will help in limiting the cost of repairs up to as much as 73 per cent for properties with a 20 per cent annual chance of flooding, which indicates that the up‐front investment would be recovered following a single subsequent flood event.Originality/valueThe uptake of resilient reinstatement among the floodplain property owners in the UK is very low and one of the reasons for the low uptake is lack of understanding of the cost and benefit of adopting such measures. While there have been previous studies towards investigating the costs of resilient reinstatement, it is believed that this is the first to use real claims data and information to analyse the tangible costs/benefits of resilient reinstatement.

AB - PurposeRecently, the focus of UK and European flood risk management policy has been towards promoting the uptake of property level flood adaptation measures. Despite this focus, the take‐up of property level flood adaptation measures (both resilient and resistant) remains very low. One of the apparent barriers to uptake is the cost of installing such measures. This study aims to investigate the cost of adopting resilient reinstatement measures by considering a small number of actual properties that were flooded in Cockermouth during 2009.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data obtained from a loss adjusting company provides the basis for analysis. The data take into consideration the cost benefit of resilient repair, assuming the same properties were flooded again. The traditional reinstatement costs were established as the actual cost of putting the properties back in a like‐for‐like manner while resilient reinstatement costs were established by creating new resilient repair schedules based on recommended good practice.FindingsThe results of the study show that the percentage extra cost for resilient reinstatement over traditional repair cost ranged from 23 to 58 per cent with a mean of 34 per cent depending on the house type. However, while resilient repairs were found to be more expensive than traditional (i.e. like‐for‐like) methods, they were found to significantly reduce the repair costs assuming a subsequent flood were to take place. Resilient flood mitigation measures seem most promising and, given repeat flooding, will help in limiting the cost of repairs up to as much as 73 per cent for properties with a 20 per cent annual chance of flooding, which indicates that the up‐front investment would be recovered following a single subsequent flood event.Originality/valueThe uptake of resilient reinstatement among the floodplain property owners in the UK is very low and one of the reasons for the low uptake is lack of understanding of the cost and benefit of adopting such measures. While there have been previous studies towards investigating the costs of resilient reinstatement, it is believed that this is the first to use real claims data and information to analyse the tangible costs/benefits of resilient reinstatement.

KW - Resilience measure

KW - Floods

KW - Flood protection

KW - Intangible impacts

KW - Reinstatement

KW - Cost benefit analysis

KW - Tangible impacts

U2 - 10.1108/02630801111162350

DO - 10.1108/02630801111162350

M3 - Article

SN - 0263-080X

JO - Structural Survey

JF - Structural Survey

Flooding Case studies GCSE

Cockermouth, UK – Rich Country (MEDC) Picture Causes: Rain A massive downpour of rain (31.4cm), over a 24-hour period triggered the floods that hit Cockermouth and Workington in Cumbria in November 2009

What caused all the rain? The long downpour was caused by a lengthy flow of warm, moist air that came down from the Azores in the mid-Atlantic. This kind of airflow is common in the UK during autumn and winter, and is known as a ‘warm conveyor’. The warmer the air is, the more moisture it can hold.

What else helped to cause the Cumbrian Floods? · The ground was already saturated, so the additional rain flowed as surface run-off straight into the rivers · The steep slopes of the Cumbrian Mountains helped the water to run very rapidly into the rivers · The rivers Derwent and Cocker were already swollen with previous rainfall · Cockermouth is at the confluence of the Derwent and Cocker (i.e. they meet there)

The effects of the flood · Over 1300 homes were flooded and contaminated with sewage · A number of people had to be evacuated, including 50 by helicopter, when the flooding cut off Cockermouth town centre · Many businesses were flooded causing long-term difficulties for the local economy · People were told that they were unlikely to be able to move back into flood-damaged homes for at least a year. The cost of putting right the damage was an average of £28,000 per house · Insurance companies estimated that the final cost of the flood could reach £100 million · Four bridges collapsed and 12 were closed because of flood damage. In Workington, all the bridges were destroyed or so badly damaged that they were declared unsafe – cutting the town in two. People faced a huge round trip to get from one side of the town to the other, using safe bridges · One man died– PC Bill Barker

Responses to the flood · The government provided £1 million to help with the clean-up and repairs and agreed to pay for road and bridge repairs in Cumbria · The Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund was set up to help victims of the flood. It reached £1 million after just 10 days · Network Rail opened a temporary railway station in Workington The ‘Visit Cumbria’ website provided lists of recovery services and trades, and people who could provide emergency accommodation

Management of future floods at Cockermouth £4.4 million pound management scheme New flood defence walls will halt the spread of the river Funding from Government and local contributors River dredged more regularly to deepen the channel New embankments raise the channel height to reduce the likelihood of extra floods New floodgates at the back of houses in Waterloo street

Pakistan, Asia – Poor Country Picture At the end of July 2010 usually heavy monsoon rains in northwest Pakistan caused rivers to flood and burst their banks. The map below shows the huge area of Pakistan affected by flooding. The floodwater slowly moved down the Indus River towards the sea.

Continuing heavy rain hampered the rescue efforts. After visiting Pakistan, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said that this disaster was worse than anything he’d ever seen. He described the floods as a slow-moving tsunami.

The effect of the floods · At least 1600 people died · 20 million Pakistanis were affected (over 10% of the population), 6 million needed food aid · Whole villages were swept away, and over 700,000 homes were damaged or destroyed · Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis were displaced, and many suffered from malnutrition and a lack of clean water · 5000 miles of roads and railways were washed away, along with 1000 bridges · 160,000km2 of land were affected. That’s at least 20% of the country · About 6.5 million acres of crops were washed away in Punjab and Sindh provinces

The responses to the floods · Appeals were immediately launched by international organisation, like the UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee – and the UN – to help Pakistanis hit by the floods · Many charities and aid agencies provided help, including the Red Crescent and Medecins Sans Frontieres · Pakistan’s government also tried to raise money to help the huge number of people affected · But there were complaints that the Pakistan government was slow to respond to the crisis, and that it struggled to cope · Foreign Governments donated millions of dollars, and Saudi Arabia and the USA promised $600 million in flood aid. But many people felt that the richer foreign governments didn’t do enough to help · The UN’s World Food Programme provided crucial food aid. But, by November 2010, they were warning that they might have cut the amount of food handed out, because of a lack of donations from richer countries

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Dive into an in-depth exploration of the notable Flood in Cumbria. This detailed guide unpicks the causes, impacts, and long-term implications of multiple flooding events, drawing particular attention to the 2009 and 2015 occurrences. You'll unearth key facts about floods in this region, dig into the role of defence mechanisms, and study both the positive and negative aftermath. Our hope is to not only provide information about past incidents but also to equip you with understanding to better face potential future incidents.

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Understanding the Flood in Cumbria

Located in North West England, Cumbria is a predominantly rural county which is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty. With picturesque landscapes, the region is not a stranger to the extremes of nature, often suffering from severe floods . To comprehend these natural disasters , it becomes paramount to thoroughly understand the geographic and meteorological aspects behind them.

Flooding is an overflow of large amounts of water beyond its normal confines, typically over what is dry land. The resulting water damage can devastate communities, destroying homes, businesses, and leading to loss of life.

Review of the 2009 Floods in Cumbria

November 2009 saw Cumbria grappling with the worst floods in its history. The event marked the highest level of rainfall ever recorded in the UK over a 24-hour period - 314.4mm. This particular flood led to the unfortunate loss of a police officer and caused extensive property damage.

In the small town of Cockermouth, the water level in the River Derwent rose so dramatically that it swept away the Northside Bridge. The destruction of infrastructure led to significant isolation for local communities and took months to rebuild.

During the 2009 flood, Cumbria's infrastructure was left in ruins, with more than 1,300 homes affected. The utility services were stretched beyond their limits, with road closures and power outages being reported all across the county.

Key Causes of Flooding in Cumbria

It's important to grasp the main factors contributing to floods in Cumbria. Predominantly, these include heavy rainfall, topography, soil conditions, and human intervention.

• Heavy rainfall: The geography of Cumbria means that it often falls victim to severe Atlantic weather systems.
• Topography: The steep slopes and valleys of the Lake District mean water flows quickly into river systems.
• Soil conditions: The often saturated ground cannot absorb much additional water.
• Human intervention: Urbanisation can lead to greater surface run-off and therefore boost flood risk.

Top Facts about Flooding in Cumbria

In order to recap and summarise, here are some riveting facts about flooding in Cumbria:

Impact of Flooding on the Physical Environment in Cumbria

When discussing the impact of flooding in Cumbria, it’s hard to overlook its drastic effects on the county’s physical environment. With an extensive network of rivers, picturesque valleys, and abundant wildlife, the physical environment in Cumbria is intensely susceptible to the aftermath of flooding.

The physical environment refers to the natural landscape, including physical and geographical features such as rivers, mountains, vegetation, wildlife and climate.

The Role of Flood Defences in Cumbria

Given the regularity and magnitude of floods in Cumbria, effective flood defences play a crucial role in managing and mitigating their impact. These structures and systems are designed to control the flow and size of rising water, reducing its damaging effects.

A prominent flood defence system in Cumbria is the Keswick flood alleviation scheme. This structure, which includes a combination of raised embankments and wall defences, was developed to protect the town from the River Greta's swelling waters.

Flood defences have a multifaceted role:

• They reduce the vulnerability of settlements and infrastructure to floods.
• They decrease the likelihood of human casualties.
• They curtail the financial loss caused by property and agricultural damage.

Although highly beneficial, flood defences aren't perfect solutions. They can sometimes simply displace the problem downstream. In addition, highly engineered structures can have significant environmental impacts, altering habitats and disrupting wildlife.

Analysing the Impact of Flooding in Cumbria on Environment

Examining the effect of flooding on the environment in Cumbria helps understand not just the immediate, but also the long-term changes it brings about. These can range from landscape alteration and soil erosion to adverse effects on wildlife habitats.

An outline of environmental impact:

• Landscape alteration: Flooding can cause dramatic changes in the local landscape due to the force of water and movement of debris.
• Soil erosion: Strong floods can strip fertile topsoil layer, leading to poor soil quality and affecting local agriculture.
• Wildlife disruption: The sudden surge of water can destroy habitats, leading to the displacement or death of local wildlife species.

In-depth Study of the Cumbria Floods 2015

December 2015 bore witness to another catastrophic flood event in Cumbria. Named 'Storm Desmond', this event was characterised by relentless rainfall that led to severe flooding.

Storm Desmond was a vigorous extratropical cyclone and the fourth named storm of the 2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm season. It brought record amounts of rainfall primarily to regions of northern England.

Storm Desmond had stern repercussions, including power cuts that affected tens of thousands of homes, widespread disruption to transport, and extensive damage to infrastructure. Furthermore, rare historic artefacts stored in the basement of Carlisle's Castle Museum were severely damaged by the floodwaters.

After Effects and Transformation Post Cumbria Floods

The aftermath of the Cumbria floods extends beyond immediate property damage and displacement of residents. Lasting changes in infrastructure, the local environment, and community resilience define the legacy of these natural disasters . Understanding the scale and nature of these transformations provides crucial insights into adapting and preparing for future flooding events.

Understanding the Cumbria Floods 2015 and its After-Effects

December 2015's Storm Desmond will be remembered as one of the most destructive flood events in Cumbria's history. However, to fully comprehend its long-lasting effects, it's important to delve deep into the transformations brought forth from the floodwaters.

After-effects of a flood refer to the consequences, both immediate and long-term, that are experienced by natural and human systems once floodwaters have receded. This can encompass changes to the physical environment, economic loss, infrastructure damage, and community trauma.

The 2015 Cumbria floods made an indelible mark:

• The flood led to widespread property damage, which required extensive reconstruction in its wake.
• Local infrastructure suffered, with many roads and bridges destroyed or severely damaged, requiring months to years for complete restoration.
• Significant environmental impact was seen in the form of eroded soils and compromised wildlife habitats.

The Long-Term Implications of the Cumbria Floods 2015

The floods of 2015 had far-reaching implications for Cumbria, impacting not just the environment and infrastructure, but also the region's economy and community dynamics.

Long-term implications of a flood event extend beyond immediate damage to property or resources. They include ongoing economic hardship, changes in land use, changes in community structure, and influencing future policy concerning flood defence and management.

Here are some of the significant long-term effects of the 2015 Cumbria floods:

• Communities were significantly affected with many residents wrestling with the psychological trauma of the event long after the waters subsided.
• The floods' economic toll was significant, with enormous costs associated with repairs, insurance payouts, and loss of business.
• Policy change and increased investment around flood defences and flood prevention strategies have become more prominent.

The 2015 Cumbria floods urged a recalibration of flood management strategies. Significant resources were directed towards better understanding the local topography, climate, urban development, and infrastructure – insights that are now guiding how Cumbria prepares for and responds to catastrophic flood events.

Positive and Negative Impacts of Cumbria Floods

The aftermath of Cumbria's floods presented both challenges and opportunities, encapsulating both the harsh reality of natural disasters as well as the resilience of the affected communities.

The positive impact of a flood sounds counterintuitive but can contribute to community solidarity, generation of employment in the reconstruction phase, and improvements in flood defences for future events. In contrast, the negative impacts are widely known, such as damage to property, loss of life, psychological trauma, and economic hardship.

• Negative Impacts: Major repercussions such as damage to homes, personal injury, psychological trauma, financial hardship, environmental degradation and community displacement rank among the negative impacts.
• Positive Impacts: On the brighter side, floods also sparked community solidarity, increased employment in reconstruction, and improved flood defences and preparedness for future events.

Flood In Cumbria - Key takeaways

• Flooding in Cumbria refers to the overflow of large amounts of water beyond normal confines, often causing devastation to communities, infrastructure, and leading to loss of life.
• Key causes of flooding in Cumbria include heavy rainfall, topography, soil conditions, and human intervention, often leading to significant destruction and isolation of communities. The 2009 floods were notably damaging.
• The impact of flooding on the physical environment entails dramatic landscape changes, soil erosion, and disruption to wildlife habitats. Flood defences in Cumbria aim minimize this impact, though they can also cause environmental disruptions.
• The Cumbria floods in 2015, initiated by 'Storm Desmond', led to widespread flooding and significant damage in the region, affecting communities, infrastructure, and the environment.
• The aftermath of Cumbria floods has both positive and negative impacts, encompassing property damage, community trauma, economic hardship, as well as improved community resilience, increased employment in reconstruction, and advancements in flood defences and preparedness.

Frequently Asked Questions about Flood in Cumbria

--> when were the cumbria floods .

The Cumbria floods occurred in both November 2009 and December 2015

--> How were the Cumbria floods managed? 

The floods were managed in various ways such as implementing a flood management strategy, flood defences such as a self-closing river barrier, river dredging, and early warning systems. 

--> Why is Cumbria prone to flooding? 

Cumbria is prone to flooding due to the location of towns such as Cockermouth at the confluence of the Derwent and Cocker rivers. The area is also prone to storms and intense rainfall, with flooding events expected to become more frequent in the future due to climate change. 

--> Why did the Cumbria floods in 2009 happen?   

As a result of a deep depression which was formed in the Atlantic Ocean, warm air rose over the Cumbrian mountains and fell as relief rainfall. This heavy rainfall fell into the Derwent and Cocker rivers, with the rivers bursting their banks resulting in flooding. 

--> What were the effects of the flood in Cumbria in 2015? 

The 2015 floods were one of the worst and most destructive floods in the UK, with 7,465 properties flooded, transport disrupted, and water polluted to name some of the impacts. The floods were also estimated to have cost £500 million in damage. 

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_____ rain fell during the November 2009 floods 

What is the definition of flooding?

What were the impacts of the 2009 floods in Cumbria?

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_____ rain fell during the November 2009 f loods 

Name 2 responses to the Cumbria 2009 floods 

Flood defenses were installed,  early warning systems or river dredging 

Flooding is an overflow of large amounts of water beyond its normal confines, commonly affecting areas of dry land. It can cause extensive damage to communities, destroying homes and businesses, and potentially leading to loss of life.

The 2009 floods in Cumbria resulted in the loss of a police officer, extensive property damage and more than 1,300 homes were affected. The infrastructure, including bridges, was ruined, leading to significant community isolation.

What are the main causes of flooding in Cumbria?

The main causes of flooding in Cumbria include heavy rainfall, topography, soil conditions and human intervention, such as urbanisation.

What was significant about the rainfall in the town of Seathwaite in 2009?

In 2009, the town of Seathwaite in Cumbria recorded the highest rainfall in the UK over a 24-hour period.

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GCSE Cockermouth Flooding Case Study

Subject: Geography

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

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GCSE Geography

Saturday 2 april 2016, cockermouth, england case study, cockermouth, england, when: 20-24th november 2009, causes .

• Cockermouth is built on the confluence of two rivers making it susceptible to flooding after heavy rains
• The drains and sewers were inadequate and not designed to cope with high levels of rainwater
• Urbanisation of the town has created more impermeable surfaces which caused rain water to reach rivers quicker resulting in much higher discharge
• The flood damage coincided with reduced budgets meaning that flood defences were inadequately maintained
• The river Cocker/ Derwent rose by over 2.5m 
• Cockermouth is on the confluence of two rivers
• There was a lot of rainfall in early November 
• The land was saturated and the water from earlier Storms went straight into river channels 
• Electricity cut off for over 1,200 people
• Hundreds of local businesses were flooded
• 18 farms were identified as being badly damaged by the floods 
• Train stations flooded
• Looting occurred 
• Bridges were washed away, including some of architectural importance due to them being over 100 years old. This also meant that people had to make huge detours. 
• A large number of people were unable to stay in their homes due to them being flooded. They tried to salvage what they could from their ruined homes. 
• Businesses lost their stock as well as future trade in the run up to Christmas
• 225 local businesses and shops were affected by the high water in the town centre, which in places rose to a level of 3 metres. They were also affected by the huge detours caused by damage to roads and bridges.
• 18 farms were badly damaged by the floods.
• The cost of the flood damage for the whole of Cumbria was at least £275 million and was many millions of pounds for Cockermouth alone. 
• Sewage water was mixed with the river water
• Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sand and gravel had been deposited on fields alongside the river Cocker
• The floods caused significant erosion and deposition along the the course of the river Cocker. 
• The floods also caused significant damage to roads, bridges, walkways and bridleways. 

Responses  

• Temporary train stations built where stations flooded
• The army built temporary walk ways
• Over 200 people were rescued by the emergency services including the Armed Forces, RNLI, Mountain Rescue and 50 of these people were rescued by RAF helicopter. 
• 20 schools were closed and used as a shelter by those made homeless by the flooding.
• Tesco built a temporary store to serve the local area.
• A flood recovery grants scheme was set up to help local businesses within 4 days after the floods and similar funds were made available to help local residents and farmers. 
• Commercial and residential property need extensive repair due to flood damage. By November 2010, 78 businesses had started trading again with most fully reopened by March 2011
• Many of the roads damaged by the tarmac being ripped away by flood waters and the damaged bridges were repaired and replaced. 
• The Environment agency spent £500,000 on flood protection improvements including higher defence walls, new higher embankments and floodgates. The river Cocker is also to be dredged to help it cope with higher water levels at times of heavy rain. These are to be maintained but with limited funding. 

7 comments:

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