Could Any Of The Flood Damage Have Been Prevented?

[Kromovaracun]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/17/farmers-uk-flood-maize-soil-protection

George Monbiot argues that deregulation of maize farming has a lot to do with reducing the soil's capacity to absorb water. Is this credible? I don't know anything about agriculture.

We also know that the government cut funding to the EA several years ago and refused to back a motion on improving flood defenses in the European Parliament:

(I apologise in advance for this source - the only other link I could find was an extremely long one on the European parliament's website which I figured nobody would want to read.)

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ed4_1392207387&;comments=1

Was any of it preventable?

[barney15c]

I know its a well trodden path but building on flood plains DOES have a detrimental effect on the flooding problem, people may not like to hear that, and of course the old chestnut of the housing shortage will be used, but its a fact. So that will need addressing.

[LazyGun]

He also had an article a couple of weeks ago, Kromo, highlighting the problems caused by CAP which I thought interesting.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/13/flooding-public-spending-britain-europe-policies-homes

[LazyGun]

And yes, the deregulation of maize farming and the bare earth it leaves has a lot to do with reducing the soils capacity to absorb water, and also contributes to soil erosion and silting.

[Old_Jim]

We have just had the wettest January ever recorded - certainly for the past 250 years. The flooding in the West Country could not have been prevented. Perhaps if the rivers had been dredged, it might have been less extensive. If we'd covered the whole of Somerset with a waterproof tent, the water would still have backed up the rivers (especially if we'd dredged them) but it would have been salt.

Still it all provides us with an opportunity to moan and blame it all on the government / council / EU / EHRC / immigration / religion / lack of religion / fat cat bankers / the unions / young people. (Delete as appropriate)

[LazyGun]

"The flooding in the West Country could not have been prevented"

Well, maybe. But prevention is better than a cure, and certainly the damage and extent of the floods could have been mitigated.

In a changing climate where it is looking very likely that the UK is going to be experiencing more frequent wet winters/springs, we should be looking again at measures that could offer better prevention, including things like ground cover on fields etc.

[Gromit]

That link to the vote on flood prevention measures is fairly damning. Unless I missed it, did the measure get passed and how did Labour vote?

[gness]

I think if we had looked to the Dutch for advice before now some of this would have been preventable and much of it manageable.

[Gromit]

Interesting to see the voting pattern on that EU directive.

http://www.votewatch.eu/en/implementation-of-eu-water-legislation-motion-for-a-resolution-paragraph-2-3.html

None of the Conservatives or UKiP voted in favour. Nick Griffin of the BNP didn't turn up. Labour and he Greens voted for the motion. The directive was easily passed.

[youngmafbog]

You willing to pay gness ?

I am not.

[tamborine]

"... Within 300 metres of the stone that marked it were ploughed fields, overhanging the catchment, left bare through the winter and compacted by heavy machinery......"

-^^ is rubbish! Fallow fields are more absorbent than with a crop; test how much water a flower pot with/without plant holds.

[KathrynDavis]

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http://www.rainbow-international.co.uk/