green vision - flooding event - 23rd may 2016
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Flooding & Community Engagement23rd May 2016
#GVIS2016
Welcome and IntroductionDr Andrew Platten
Leeds Beckett University
Mike PotterCivic Community Representative
Pickering
Fighting the floods: Community knowledge and engagement
Mike PotterRyedale Flood Research Group (RFRG)
Pickering & District Civic Society (P&DCS)
Slowing the Flow Programme Delivery Group, non expert, unqualified
Photos: Mike Potter & Brian Tozer
Not an expert, unqualified
Why believe me – all I have is 10 years practical experience
So, to be safe, I’ll ask questions
Are we already into the era of climate change?
Can we afford flood walls to defend every vulnerable community against 1:200 year events?
If unaffordable, do we abandon communities to frequent flooding? (Insurance? Businesses?)
Will dredging every river solve our problems?
Do we need different solutions?
Shouldn’t we look at the whole catchment?
Pickering Floods
Major floods 1927, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1947, 1960
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007
Unique catchment & geography….
Flashy
Floodwalls dismissed on CBA
EA walked away. Good ideas?
Ryedale Flood Research Group (RFRG)
Sep 07 – Oct 08
Local knowledge: Community
Upstream bund idea: Community
Feasibility study and credibility: RFRG (Universities and community). Experimental!
Impetus to act: Community
Justification after failure (Res Act): Community
Majority of PR: Community
Community agreement and buy-in.
Slowing the Flow
RFRG report: Making space for people. Good idea
EA called in by MP
EA find DEFRA funding, add in Natural Flood Management (NFM) Partners: County, Local & Town Councils, EA NE FC FR NYMNP
Durham Uni, Duchy, NYMR, Community
Pilot project
Only limited local taxpayer (community) funding available
DEFRA/EA support: Less than wholehearted –unproven, therefore risky.
1:25 year protection scheme. Protection proportionate to funding.
Slowing the Flow in Pickering
Slowing the Flow in Pickering
NFM provides 10% of floodwater storage –handed over to FC/FR
FC (local office, community members) Can do, grounded, practical, low cost. Action.
Engineered bund. 90% of storage. EA
Slowing the Flow in Pickering
Working with nature (NFM)
Woody debris dams (WDD) & mini bunds
Riparian tree planting (and hedges)
Moorland drain blocking. Peat restoration
Catchment sensitive farming
Sediment supply
The right location for Woody Debris Dams?
Ground truthing – local knowledge
Slowing the Flow in Pickering
Debris Dam. 04 Apr 2012
Slowing the Flow in Pickering
‘Mini’ Bunds?
PDG – Slowing the Flow in Pickering
Slowing the Flow in Pickering
‘Mini’ Bunds? 25 Sep 2012
Slowing the Flow, not in Pickering
NFM?
Nothing new
Local materials
Engineered bund
Bund – 90%
£2.7M
1:25 yr protection
Withstand 1:10,0000 yr flood
Engineered bund
Not ‘NFM’ but working with natural processes
Boxing Day 2015 floods
Academic study or protecting the community?
•Sound Knowledge•Effective Communications•Trust – build relationships•Can Do Attitude
HOW DO WE DO IT?
NFM. The reality gap
Who does it? Who pays for it? Who maintains? Who has the expertise?
Reviews, reports, consultations.... or action?
Essentials:
Whole catchment approach Upland management
Upstream storage
Floodplain management
River maintenance
Hard defences, channel mgt
Flood resilience (to 1:200 level?)
Community engagement Knowledge
Agreement and buy-in
Correctly planned and modelled
Open mind – right measures in the right place
•Sound Knowledge•Effective Communications•Trust – build relationships•Can Do Attitude
Abilities & attributesTenacityPatience Tact & diplomacySubject interest (friction with partners!)Likely longevity
Beware interminable meetingsInsist on outcomes and actionsDisregard rankJust for a laugh (or irritation) calculate value - travel, salaries.
HOW DO WE DO IT?
Dr Frances MacGuireHeptonstall Resident and
Environmental Risk Expert
Hebden Bridge 2015 Boxing Day Floods
Flooding and Community Engagement Event23rd May 2016 17:30 to 19:30Old Broadcasting House, Leeds
Dr Frances MacGuire
Heptonstall Resident
1989 1st Assessment Sea Level Rise: UK Coast
Temperature/rainfall/ sea level rise projections:
• 2035
• 2050
• 2100
Climate change is happening
Faster and harder than we predicted
Committed to locked-in changes
Adapt and move to renewables energy/transport based future
1990 Towyn Floods
Basic emergency preparedness – fits on a fridge magnet
• Move valuable things upstairs – single story – on table or shelves
• Radio plus batteries
• Torch plus batteries
• Water stores – bottle/bath/sink etc.
• Tinned food
Lessons from coastal floods
• No such thing as “no risk or risk free”
• Couldn’t build concrete walls around whole of UK coast
• Council by council piecemeal approach moved problem up/ down coast
• Managed retreat
• Soft defences –dunes/saltmarsh/offshore reefs
Calder Valley
=
A Resilient Community
Calder Valley = A Resilient Community
• Celebrate community preparedness
• Need to recognise people have busy lives – have to return to them
• Community gave their all – statutory agencies must drive action forward
• Death by stakeholder consultation
• Vision/Objectives/Actions/Timelines/Responsibility
• Plans at Catchment Level otherwise just move problem downstream
It will flood again so must be prepared
• A vision for more resilient built and natural environment
• Better communication between residents and statutory agencies – EA, Calderdale Council, NHS
• Creative solutions to insurance and financing in an uncertain world – climate change, flood risks, landslides etc.
• Mixture of hard and soft defences
• Engage children and young people – it’s their home & future
Philip MarkenLeeds Open Source Art
Round Table Discussion Groups
Plenary and Conclusions
Thank you