Paul Gainey - 16-Nov-2007
- Bathing water quality dropped slightly
in the south west in 2007 after the wettest
summer on record.
The results announced by Defra (Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
this morning confirm that 98.4% of the region’s
191 EC designated beaches met the mandatory
standard. This is slightly down on 2006
when the south west, for the first time,
achieved 100% compliance.
A total of 149 (78.4%) of the region’s
bathing waters met the more stringent EU
guideline standard. This is lower than 2006
when nearly 90% of south west beaches achieved
guideline status.
The high summer rainfall caused an increase
in storm overflows from sewers, a rise in
diffuse pollution and run-off from farmland.
This resulted in an increase in pollutants
flowing down rivers and streams into some
bathing waters.
Cloudier weather also meant there was less
ultraviolet light which naturally breaks
down and destroys potentially harmful bacteria.
In Devon and Cornwall three beaches failed
the minimum standard. Somerset and Dorset
still managed to achieve 100% mandatory
compliance despite the summer downpours.
Despite England and Wales experiencing
the wettest summer since 1912, compliance
with the mandatory bathing water standard
is still better than in the years preceding
2002. In the south west, which has more
beaches than any other region in the country,
the results compared favourably with the
national average for 2007of 97.8% for mandatory
and 72.5% for guideline.
‘We saw an extraordinary amount of rainfall
during the summer and this caused a temporary
increase in the amount of pollution at some
bathing waters because of run-off from farmland
and storm overflows in the sewerage system,’
said Environment Agency Chief Executive
Barbara Young.
‘Water quality is undoubtedly much better
than we were seeing 15 years ago before
South West Water’s and Wessex Water’s investment
programmes that made major improvements
to sewage treatment across the region. But
if we want this to continue we all need
to be ready to cope with these rainfall
events, which are likely to become more
frequent with climate change. Water companies
need to climate-proof their sewerage systems
and farmers need to play their part in reducing
pollution,’ said Environment Agency regional
director Richard Cresswell.
Environment Minister Phil Woolas said,
‘We achieved our best ever levels of bathing
water quality in 2006 and this year standards
are still high despite exceptionally wet
weather. Although compliance has dropped
slightly, we know the likely cause. Over
all, the direction of travel is clear –
bathing water in England is getting better
and that’s good news for everyone who lives
here and all those who visit our coasts.’
The Environment Agency monitors bathing
water quality and takes 20 samples from
each EC designated bathing water between
May 1 and September 30. The three south
west bathing waters that failed the mandatory
standard this year are: Instow, Mothecombe
and Bude (Summerleaze)
+ More
Environment Agency review into Abingdon
floods
Dave Ferguson - 16-Nov-2007 - The Environment
Agency will report on a review of the July
flooding in Abingdon at a meeting in the
town.
The review, which aims to outline the extent
of the recent floods, assess the Environment
Agency’s response and to investigate ways
of reducing flood risk in the town, will
be presented to members of the public at
the meeting, which takes place at the Guildhall
in Abingdon.
It found that an unusually wet May and
June, with rainfall up to 195% above the
long term average, combined with an exceptional
level of rainfall on 19 and 20 July, created
extremely high flow levels on the rivers
in Abingdon.
Flow rates on the River Ock were up to
60 times above the normal rate for July,
which caused widespread flooding across
Abingdon to more than 660 properties. At
its highest, the rate of flow in the River
Ock through Abingdon, was more than 600
million gallons per day. The flooding was
also exacerbated by surface water flooding
in several parts of the town.
Jed Ramsay, a technical specialist at the
Environment Agency, said: “The weather we
had on the 19 and 20 July was the catalyst
for some of the worst flooding seen in Abingdon
in living memory.
“The River Ock in particular hit extremely
high levels, along with raised levels on
the River Stert, and combined with surface
water to cause serious flooding through
many parts of Abingdon.
“As a result of the review, which draws
upon knowledge from local residents, the
emergency services, local councils and our
flood risk teams, we have put together some
recommendations for ourselves, local residents
and other groups, which we hope can be used
to reduce the impact and risk of any future
flooding in Abingdon.
“Some of the recommendations we have made
include further investigation into expanding
the flood storage areas for the rivers Ock
and Stert, increasing our maintenance programmes
for rivers and streams in Abingdon and the
possible removal of a known flow constriction
at St Helen’s Mill. We will be looking at
the feasibility of these and other measures,
such as improvements to the Radley Park
Ditch and installation of a river gauge
on the River Stert in the coming months,
but they will all be subject to obtaining
appropriate funding.
“However, there are a number of things
residents can do to help themselves reduce
the impact of flooding. These include signing
up for our free Flood Warnings Direct service
where it is available, considering resilience
measures for homes and ensuring that riparian
owners understand their responsibilities
to clear ditches on their property.”
The recommendations will now be assessed
by the Environment Agency and discussions
will begin with other partners who may be
able to carry out works which will help
to reduce the risk of flooding in Abingdon.
For any of these options to be successful
they will have to be technically feasible,
financially and environmentally viable and
will have to compete for funding with other
schemes nationally using the Defra-approved
scoring system.
Copies of the review can be seen on the
Environment Agency’s website, www.environment-agency.gov.uk/regions/thames/
from Wednesday, 21 November, or hard copies
are available by calling 01491 828511 between
9am and 5pm.
Notes
The full list of recommendations are:
• Further investigation into the expansion
of the flood storage area at Tilsley Park.
• Detailed investigation into possible flood
storage to the west of the A34.
• Feasibility study on modification works
at St Helen’s Mill.
• Removal, if possible, of the flow constriction
at Hillview Road on the River Stert – if
there are no negative effects downstream.
• Improvements to Radley Park Ditch.
• Increase public awareness of riparian
rights and responsibilities on tributaries
of the River Ock (River Stert, Radley Park
Ditch, Willowbrook).
• Promotion of flood resilience for properties
at risk of flooding.
• Review of current maintenance regime –
in particular in the Ock Bridge area.
• Survey of the long culvert under Stert
Street.
• Installation of river gauge on the River
Stert
July 2007 Flood Facts
The River Thames flows around the south
east edge of Abingdon. The River Ock travels
through the town in a west to east direction
and flows into the Thames at Iron Bridge.
There are several smaller streams running
through the north of the town Abingdon,
namely the Radley Park Ditch, The Stert,
Larkhill Stream and Wildmoor Brook. All
the watercourses contribute to risk from
fluvial flooding.
In May 2007, rainfall in the River Ock catchment
was among the highest on record. The May
2007 total of 144.7mm, at Wantage Kitford
manual rain gauge in Ardington, was the
highest rainfall ever recorded for May in
records going back to 1929. These conditions
continued into June where rainfall was also
well above average, with a total of 104.7mm.
In the River Ock catchment at the Stanford
rain gauge, we recorded a rainfall measurement
of 151mm for July. Of that rainfall, 95mm
fell within the 17 hours from 23:00 on 19
July to 15:00 on 20 July. The likelihood
that this intensity of rainfall would occur
in any one year is just 0.007%.
In Abingdon itself we recorded 77mm of rainfall
over the same 17 hour period.
Flow levels on the River Ock were approximately
60 times the normal amount of flow for July.
