Environmental threats to the UK- Somerset- Management Flashcards
(11 cards)
Who are the stakeholders involved in the flooding situation?
Royal Marines, Government, Environment Agency, Somerset County Council, FLAG
What is the Flooding on the Levels Action Group (FLAG)?
An action group formed to support people affected by floods and pressure the government for more action.
It provided excellent pastoral care and brought the community together.
What infrastructure improvements were made in response to the flooding?
Installation of a temporary bridge at Beer Wall and repair of 28 miles (44km) of flood-affected roads.
Works took 11 weeks to complete and helped regain accessibility between Aller and Othery.
What was the purpose of the embankments built in Thorney?
To protect 10 houses with an £180,000 earth embankment.
It had a small scale and large cost-benefit ratio, helping protect house prices.
What are the trigger points for pumps on the Somerset Levels?
10 trigger points have been established to allow additional pumps to be activated to remove water.
They cannot cover the whole of the Levels and are focused on the worst hit locations.
What declaration did Somerset County Council make?
They declared a ‘major incident’ to galvanise support.
This raised £1.5m towards repairs, although some felt more action was needed.
What is the plan for the future regarding flood management?
Somerset County Council plans to fund a new Somerset Rivers Authority to maintain river channels and reduce flood risk.
Initial funding was £2m from the national government, but future funds depend on a council tax increase of £25 per year.
What role did the Environment Agency play in the flooding response?
They installed 62 emergency pumps that operated 24 hours a day.
It took time to bring in additional pumps from the Netherlands, which removed 1.5 million tonnes of water.
What assistance did the Royal Marines provide?
They were deployed to help villagers cut off by floodwater.
This deployment meant they were not available for other tasks, despite their skills in dangerous zones.
What is the plan for a tidal barrier across the River Parrett?
The Environment Agency is planning a £100m tidal barrier by 2024.
The project has been delayed, and no construction has started yet; it aims to protect 10,000 homes and 1,500 businesses.
What is the Somerset Levels and Moors Action Plan?
A 20-year, £100m plan with £10.5m from the national government and £10m from the Department for Transport.
There is a question of where the additional £79.5 million will come from to fund the plan.
