HOLDERNESS FLOODS OF 25-26 JUNE 2007

  My family were badly affected by the floods of 25-26 June 2007. They and others so affected have asked me to send this to you.

  Findings following consultations with residents, farmers and authorities:

—  Evidence of the loss of drain capacity due to build up of silt and debris.

—  Allegations that dredged material from Burstwick drain was found contaminated with toxic material leading to excessive disposal costs. Drains not cleared since.

—  Habitat protection schemes are blamed for mud flat build up at Hedon Haven and Stone Creek. Even though legislation (Conservation Regs 1994) have provision to allow this.

—  Claims that the use of mechanical means to clear outlets to the estuary is prevented to avoid mud disturbance. English Nature say there is no widespread use of "management agreements" (as in Conserv' Regs 1994) for areas bordering SSSIs etc. When put to EA manager Peter Holmes he agreed it is budget issues affecting maintenance activity.

—  Humber dredgers now "recycle" mud under conservancy regulations.

—  EA blamed for lack of maintenance on key facilities such as sluices or cloughs, the EA's own evidence >1 m of debris/silt on sills inhibiting flows to the estuary. Doors do not fully shut allowing sea water into land drains and do not fully open to release properly at low tides. Fresh water or landward side barrier doors are not operated as they had been years ago to hold water back and to be released suddenly to flush sluice/clough sills clear.

—  No adequate flood risk management for Holderness.

—  The plan needs to address three risk cases:

    —  Rising sea levels and tidal surges.

    —  Sudden high influx of water from tributaries (45% of England drained to Humber estuary) into a silt clogged estuary.

    —  Changes in weather patterns leading to "monsoon" conditions in localised areas of Holderness.

—  There is no routine maintenance plan and no provision for exceptional contingency, even given it is a high level document.

—  Keyingham level drain not referred to, it receives Skeckling drain this drain was a significant contributor to Burstwick flooding.

—  Cash damages in the CFMP way off! Table 3.14 of page 113 of EA's Hull and Coastal Streams Flood Management Plan are grossly under estimated. The events of 25-26 June much worse than figures given for a 1% AEP! These then affect cost effectiveness appraisals of any proposed mitigating actions.

—  There should be use areas of farm land as flood relief—local farmers are in favour of these measures.

—  Controls on housing developments are poor.

—  Examination of one such location showed NRA recommendations do not appear to have been considered, they were:

    —  Surface water drainage cannot go into a system already at maximum capacity (Skeckling drain).

    —  Therefore this must go to agricultural run off at a min of 1.4m/sec/hectare.

    —  In this case development base level should be lifted to the level of a previous development (approx 2 m)—this would have left it away from the effects of the run off recommendation.

—  Residents believe the authorities were slow to respond to the developing emergency.

—  Residents in particularly high risk locations not aware of how serious the risk was to them.

—  When under severe pressure people turn to most trusted agencies of Police and Fire Brigade, but these were over stretched.

—  ERC emergency control not set up until 1.30 pm Wednesday 27 June?

—  Sandbag distribution was too late—flooding already happened.

—  Representatives sent to talk with residents appeared too defensive and not "engaged" enough.

Stephen K Batty

August 2007