[Marc Fauvet]

a more than interesting read 

http://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/floods-and-land-management-myths-and-reality/

[Jim Eddie]

Very interesting and a lot of common sense
 

Jim

[Hamish Young]

It is indeed a common sense read, but when it comes to the environment and our habitat the application of common sense is something we as a species fail to demonstrate time and time again.
If you alter the environment to suit your purpose then you become the custodian of that environment; in other words you must continue to manage it (or put it back the way it was). By an large we fail to do this every time.

Whilst the UK as a whole has undoubtedly experienced some extreme weather this winter thus far, I cannot help but think that in some cases the resultant flooding has been down to our inept custodianship rather than the sheer volume of whisky additive that has fallen from the sky.

H

[Euan Innes]

Whilst the UK as a whole has undoubtedly experienced some extreme weather this winter thus far, I cannot help but think that in some cases the resultant flooding has been down to our inept custodianship rather than the sheer volume of whisky additive that has fallen from the sky.

Couldn't agree more! After a decade of dryness we built houses on flood plains and did nothing to keep the water off them. I left my old house because of the new houses being built across the road. When we objected to the plans we all stated that the field flooded regularly and that building there would be crazy. Objections ignored, they went ahead and built them and now they are struggling with water in the foundations.
We removed a lot of the forests in the UK to build ships and houses and now we wonder why the water runs off the hills.... As a race we are arrogant enough to think we are in charge and this might be the slap that we needed.

The other thing that always seems to stand out is that most people now think that someone else will comes to rescue them or that everything is someone elses fault. I think we are doomed....

 

[Rob Brownfield]

I cannot help but think that in some cases the resultant flooding has been down to our inept custodianship rather than the sheer volume of whisky additive that has fallen from the sky.

I think the folk of Ballater were really unfortunate on the 30th. That one really was a Biblical event.

However, how many times have we seen the river over the road at Kintore? Every winter, and yet more houses go in, more development and drainage upstream increasing the issue, and Ben driving too fast through the puddles!

Am I right in thinking Inverurie has been flooded in the last 10 or so years? With all that new development up on the Urie, there must be increased pressure on the river.

As for Grandholme Village...that area was flooded many times when the old mill was there...yet they went ahead and built.

[Euan Innes]

I think the folk of Ballater were really unfortunate on the 30th. That one really was a Biblical event.

However, how many times have we seen the river over the road at Kintore? Every winter, and yet more houses go in, more development and drainage upstream increasing the issue, and Ben driving too fast through the puddles!

Am I right in thinking Inverurie has been flooded in the last 10 or so years? With all that new development up on the Urie, there must be increased pressure on the river.

As for Grandholme Village...that area was flooded many times when the old mill was there...yet they went ahead and built.

Exactly!
More concrete, more run off = higher water.
I have fished the Dee in the Banchory area for the last three years now and one year it rained hard whilst I was fishing down stream of a drainage outflow. The outflow looked like a dam release pipe and the water was "hosing" straight out ten feet into the river. Hill of Banchory development alone has increased the water height dramatically and in turn this has affected everyone down stream.
Developers just want the water away from their new builds and don't seem to care where it goes. Except for the new builds in Bucksburn above the dual carriageway to the airport. That developer, even though the area was on a slope, managed to add in a dip at the bottom of the main drive which filled with water and flooded the occupants that had only moved in two weeks previously. Common sense is apparently not as common as it used to be....
As you said Rob, Ballater was just unlucky, but FFS stop building houses right on rivers and then wondering why your carpets are wet.

 

[Rob Brownfield]

stop building houses right on rivers and then wondering why your carpets are wet.

To be fair, I am 3 miles from the Dee and up a hill, but my carpets are wet

I can't remember where it was, but the EA changed their flood management plans and re instated the bends in a river that they had been dredging out for decades. The bends increased river capacity (effectively making the river longer) and slowed the flow, allowing water to still drain, but not surge.

The Dee has had a good go at this itself with some bends having changed completely.