Lucy Harding - 11-Mar-2008
- After a night of further heavy winds and
high tides, the Environment Agency is now
battling to reinstate the shingle bank at
Medmerry beach in Selsey. A flood warning
is still out for the coastline from Chichester
Harbour to Selsey Bill and Broad and Earnley
Rifes in Selsey which means some flooding
is still expected.
An 800 metre section
of the shingle bank, which provides flood
protection to the large caravan site (2,200
caravans) and 650 hectares of land, was
washed away by the storms and high tides
yesterday afternoon. Half of the caravan
site was flooded and 50 caravans were destroyed.
Environment Agency staff
worked through the night to monitor the
weather situation along with the tides and
using bulldozers and excavators to rebuild
the defences as much as possible ahead of
the high tides. Although there was some
flooding on these second high tides, the
levels were lower than those of yesterday.
Six bulldozers will
be working on the beach throughout the day
to push up the shingle that is currently
there. Once the weather settles and the
water levels have gone down, the shingle
will be imported to reprofile the beach.
James Humphrys, Environment
Agency Solent & South Downs Area Manager,
said: “The Environment Agency is already
working with local communities who live
along this very fragile coastline to determine
how we manage it into the future. All of
our research suggests that a realignment
of defences inland in a managed way is the
right thing to do. This would reduce the
risk of flooding to people with the added
benefit of less maintenance required.
“It is of little surprise
that a storm of the intensity we saw yesterday,
together with the high tides, caused this
flooding. The shingle is kept in place year
on year only because of our extensive and
very costly maintenance programme. This
is a very exposed and low lying coastline,
and we expect large winter storms to cause
breaches.
“The cost of replacing
the shingle following yesterday’s storm
will run into hundreds of thousands of pounds
and there are no guarantees that we won’t
see a repeat of this storm event in the
near future, causing it all to be lost again.”
The Environment Agency, together with Chichester
and Arun District Councils, is currently
working with communities along this part
of the coastline to consider options for
managing flood risk and coastal erosion
here over the next 100 years. The next stage
of formal consultations on the options will
start this spring.
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Environment Agency urges
people to continue to check for flood warnings
National Press Office
- 10-Mar-2008 - People living along the
coast should continue to check for flood
warnings this evening, as further high tides
could hit at the same time as strong winds
and big waves, according to the Environment
Agency.
Chief Executive Barbara
Young said: “A combination of strong winds,
big waves and high tides has caused minor
flooding along the south coast. Although
tides over the past 24 hours were close
to predicted levels, a change in wind direction
in some areas reduced the impact of the
waves.
“Only a small number
of properties and low lying land has so
far been flooded because of the less severe
winds and good preparation by the Environment
Agency and partners. However, we’re turning
our attention to the main areas most at
risk now – which includes the Bristol Channel,
Severn Estuary and Somerset coast – when
further high tides are due to hit this evening.
“There is still a threat
of flooding in these low lying coastal areas
in the south west and in Wales.
“When you have wind,
waves and high spring tides like this, the
coast can be very dangerous. Don’t be tempted
to go watch the waves come in – you’ll be
putting yourself at risk.”
High tides along the
south west, southern and west coasts are
due between 6pm and midnight tonight.
Currently (3pm Monday
10 March), there are 41 Flood Warnings and
68 Flood Watches in place.
Environment Agency officers
are out on the ground monitoring the situation,
checking flood defences and warning people
that could be affected. People should continue
to listen to local news reports, check the
Environment Agency website or call Floodline
0845 988 1188 for the latest flood situation.
+ More
Leek company guilty
of polluting local brook
Michelle Dolphin - 11-Mar-2008
- On 7 March 2008, Esterchem Limited of
Basford Lane Industrial Estate in Leek pleaded
guilty at Newcastle under Lyme Magistrates
Court to one charge relating to polluting
the Leek Brook with fatty acids and esters.
This is the second time that Esterchem have
been fined for polluting the Leek Brook.
They were last prosecuted in December 2006.
The charge was brought
by the Environment Agency under the Water
Resources Act 1991. Esterchem Limited were
fined £9,000 and ordered to pay full
costs of £3,257.60.
For the Environment
Agency, Counsel Mr Nicholas Cole told the
court that Esterchem Limited manufacture
chemicals made from acids and alcohols which
are then used in perfumes and soaps.
On 29 September 2006,
Environment Agency officers were investigating
problems with the Leek Brook. They noticed
grey fungus on the water bed. Water samples
were taken at several locations on the brook
and it appeared that a milky white discharge
coming from the Eaterchem site was the source
of the pollution.
Water samples showed
that the water quality had been seriously
affected by the discharge. The oxygen levels
in the brook were very low and three times
below the normal levels which could affect
the fish population.
A representative of
Esterchem was interviewed by Environment
Agency officers on 16 April 2007 where they
initially denied that there had been pollution
from the site.
Speaking after the case
Carl Lea, an Environment Agency Officer
involved in the investigation said: “This
was a serious incident that resulted in
Esterchem polluting a local brook and putting
the local fish population at risk. We are
pleased with the outcome of this case.”
In mitigation, the Court
were told that Esterchem Limited had now
taken steps to ensure that there would be
no further discharges into the Leek Brook.
