Winter 2013/14 saw prolonged heavy rain and flooding on the Somerset Levels in central Somerset, England. The Levels are a flat coastal plain lying close to sea level that is mainly used for agriculture. Hundreds of homes were affected, villages were cut off, and major roads were blocked by the flooding. Farmers struggled to graze animals or were forced to evacuate livestock. Responses included rescue boats, military assistance, and promises of funds for repairs, while longer term plans involved improving drainage through dredging, raising flood defenses, and installing permanent pumps. However, some argue for more sustainable options such as slowing floodwater through tree planting and pond creation or allowing some areas to naturally return to wetland.

1. Winter 2013/14 Prolonged heavy rain led to
Flooding on the Somerset Levels

2. An area of coastal plain and wetland in central Somerset
650km2
Flat land lying close to sea level
Mainly agricultural, arable and grazing land with some
peat extraction
Important habitats for birds and plants.
32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest
What are the Levels?

3. BLACKDOWN HILLS
Where are the Levels?
Think:
Give 3 reasons why
the Levels are prone
to flooding

4. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP for Bridgwater, said a
huge area of Somerset was "drowning”
Homes are uninhabitable, farms are
unworkable and jobs are being expensively
destroyed. On the Somerset Levels, people
are scared and angry – very angry
Jeremy Browne (Taunton Deane
MP) said:
"People on the levels are unable to
get their children to school, they
are unable to get to work and local
businesses such as pubs have lost a
large amount of business."
Impacts

5. 600 homes affected
Some villages cut off
Major roads blocked
Impacts

6. Farmers were prevented from grazing their animals.
Many cows had to be evacuated or sold
Financial cost likely to be in excess of £10 million
Impacts

7. There were reports of
increased crime.
Local businesses lost trade
Longer journey times for
locals due to road closures
Some home owners were forced
to evacuate from their property
Impacts

8. Responses
Rescue boats were
deployed to help
stranded people
Royal Marines were sent
in to help with flood relief
UK government promised
at least £30 million to help
with repairs
The Flooding on the Levels
Action Group FLAG
supported people in need of
help
Extra police
patrols in
response to
reports of crime
A 20 year flood action
plan has been drawn up
Think:
Which of these are short and which
are long term responses?

9. The Environment Agency installed
giant pumps from the Netherlands
to lower water levels
Responses

10. Traditional solutions to flooding
Embankments alongside
main rivers and pumping
stations to remove water
from the lowest lying land

11. Traditional solutions to flooding
Man made drains and a
system of sluice gates to
control water levels

12. Traditional solutions to flooding
Dredging of rivers to increase
their drainage capacity

13. Traditional solutions to flooding
Sea defences along the coast to
prevent inundation by high tides
Photo Steve Daniels
Source: Geograph project

14. Traditional management options
Government’s 20 year flood
action draft plan calls for…
More dredging
Building of higher embankments
Raising of certain key roads
Installation of permanent pumps
Building of a coastal flood protection barrage
to hold back highest tides
Think:
What are the arguments for and
against hard engineering solutions
to flooding?

15. What are the management options
for the future?
Should we spend more money on traditional flood protection?
Should the Levels be allowed to return to a natural wetland state?
Should management strategies be more sustainable?

16. An alternative management option?
Return the Levels to a
natural wetland state
Think:
What are pros and cons of “doing nothing”?
Stop spending money on flood
protection to protect a relatively
small number of properties on a
natural flood plain
Create nature reserves and
prioritize needs of wildlife

17. Sustainable management options
Sustainable management strategies could
involve:
• Reducing / slowing / storing runoff from
surrounding hills by tree planting, river
basin management and pond creation
• Improvements to key roads
• Allowing selected areas to return to
wetland
• Encouraging farmers to invest in more
flood-tolerant activities
• Compensate owners of the most
vulnerable property to relocate away
from the floodplain

18. Example questions….
• Name an example of a flood in the rich part of the world.
• Describe the primary effects of a flood.
• Describe the physical factors that lead to an increase in
flooding.
• How can human activities increase the risk of flooding?
• Describe the benefits of hard engineering strategies in reducing
flood risk.
• What are the benefits of soft engineering approaches to flood
management?
• What are the benefits and disadvantages of a flood protection
strategy that you have studied?
• Explain how flood management schemes can be made more
sustainable.

19. Flooding on the Somerset Levels
Noel Jenkins April 2014
Sources:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/24/uk-floods-major-incident-somerset-levels
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-26447005
http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/point-plan-reduce-Somerset-Levels-flooding/story-20528163-
detail/story.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_flooding_of_2013–14_on_the_Somerset_Levels
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1386841
All photos by Noel Jenkins unless otherwise indicated
juicy geography