Posted: November 17th, 2022

Flood alleviation

Flood alleviation
Background Information
Kendal is a market town situated within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England. It is situated at a coordinate of 54°19’36.52″ N -2°44’51.25″ W. Moreover, it has a dweller population of 28,586 hence a third largest among the market towns in Cumbria after Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. The town is largely a tourism centre as the as the tobacco snuff and piped tobacco producer, and as a mint cake home. Finally, it has most of its buildings constructed on grey limestone spread around the town.
The town rests on the low regions of River Kent, and it is surrounded by hilly terrain. Looking at the topographical map of Kendal, it is clearly observed that the town’s terrain has lower elevations of below 200 ft. It also covers most parts of river Kent which are also at low elevations of about 140-160 ft. The highest surrounding hills however have elevations of 1095 ft. and below. Kendal topography discussed above therefore renders it prone to floods emanating from seasonal storms taking place in Cumbria (Brigade, 2016).
Kendal topography map
Major flood catchment areas in Kendal are areas of river Kent including Caste Cres, Lound Rd, Aynam Rd, Mintsfeet, Benson Green, Gilthwaite Rigg, Burneside Rd, St. Johns Ambulance, Aikrigg Av, Bowling as well as Social Club including others not mentioned. The past flood records in these areas affected residents and up to date, the areas receive warnings on flood occurrence likelihood. The recent heavy rain pour received in the regions between 4th and 5th, December 2015 had negative impacts on the regions such as bridges collapsing, roads being blocked, sewers bursting, drainage systems bursting, people becoming homeless and properties being destroyed, among others. The Met office gave the name Desmond Storm to the latest floods in the Cumbria region that was due to a heavy rain reception of 341.4mm in only 24 hours (Gross, 2016).
Similar floods hit the regions of Cumbria, including Kendal in the year 2005, 2007 and 2009. Records indicate that the severity of the previous storms were lesser compared to the 2015 Storm Desmond despite the higher rainfall quantity. The flooding on 19th, November 2009 recorded 316.4mm of rainfall as per the Seathwaite measurement station in Cumbria. Hallgarth estate in Kendal experienced flooding back on 28th, June 2012 (Brigade, 2016). The floods were due to excessive rain pour which led to surface flooding and water-sewer combination hence drainage systems infiltration. The predominant catchment areas in Kendal have steep reaches to the edges of Kendal hill while situated at the lower reaches of Northern Kendal. The impacts of floods to the locals, moreover, included closure of many schools in Cumbria, Power cuts and loss of water and heating utilities. In the wider Cumbria, Lancaster University cancelled teachings for part of the term after the power loss, travel disruptions, weakening of bridges and delays in rail services across the towns.
Previous and Existing Flood Risk Defences in Kendal
The existing flood defences in Kendal were constructed back in 1970. However, the recent storms have proven to overwhelm it. The England government has issued money in the recent past to build flood defences in Cumbria. Recently, Cameroon chaired a meeting of COBRA emergency response committee and showed the government’s commitments to provide solutions against the Cumbrian flooding. The immediate government’s response to flooding was to accommodate those affected by the floods. In 2013, Liz Truss, the Environment Secretary confirmed that 45 million pounds were set for flood defence in Cumbria. 4.5 million pounds were used for flood defence including the installation of self-closing barriers against floods, flow routes formation and location of community woodland/wet areas. Moreover, the flood defence schemes that have previously been installed in Kendal include vertical concrete wall defences, rock revetment and earth embankments in a number of regions (WALES, 2016).
Environmental agency in 2005 spent 38 million pounds for improvement of flood defences after the Carlisle floods. However, the current rainfall levels experienced in the region is genuinely unprecedented hence posing a challenge. The fire rescue teams in Cumbria and soldiers have always Helped in emergency responses and evacuations of the flood victims. Moreover, warnings due to potential flooding are regularly updated in the websites to ensure residents are kept up to date concerning the floods. The emergency calls are also easily accessible for emergency alerts as a result of flooding.
Effectiveness of the Employed Defence Scheme
Previous defences were effective in the past when the Carlisle floods were effectively barred from causing damages to residents. The recue team and the soldiers have always taken part in offering quick responses and thereby rescuing many people from the flood effects. The self-closing controls, the concrete walls and the earth embankments mechanisms to protect Kendal’s regarding floods had made great influence in flooding intensity reduction allowing enough time for evacuation. Lastly, the severe storms warning in Cumbria have always been effective in giving necessary alerts that keep residents ready for any flood event. Moreover, the quick response team having provided their toll services, the response to flooding was greatly enhanced.
Reasons for Failure of the Defence Methods to Protect the Region
Despite the fact that the defence mechanisms were set into place to prevent or control flooding, the recent 2015 floods still occurred, causing vast impacts to the Kendal residents as well as the surrounding Cumbrian areas. The reasons behind this failure were given as follows. First, the adverse increase in the height level of rainfall storm was much higher and could have been a factor for failure of the defences (341.4mm in 24 hours compared to the previous record of 316.4mm in 24 hours). Secondly, the rise in the water levels increase compared to the initial water levels at Rivers Kent, Eden and Greta. Met Office, through Dame Julia said that change in climate is the key cause of the floods and severe rainfall patterns. Higher climate is likely to bring even severer rains storms across U.K.
Failure of flood defences was also due to the supposed cut of Kendal flood defence funds which delayed the construction of flood defences. The Guardian revealed that 4 million pounds which was to build a bolster barrier across Cumbria was postponed repeatedly. This could have been a major cause of failure because the money was to reconstruct flood barriers across Kendal town which was submerged by about 1.5m in the Dec 2015 floods. The 4 million dollar was to construct the barriers in Kendal in 2011 to prevent the 440 properties being flooded due to River Kent. The government, however, sharply cut the flood defence money for 2011 and the subsequent schemes for 2014 and 2015. In December 2015, Desmond Storms severely affected Kendal ultimately leaving about 1397 residents homeless. The scheme set in the last five years could have made a visible difference in protecting the people and the property.
Integrated Proposals to Alleviate, Prevent or Control the Floods in Kendal
Considering the potential flood zones in Kendal, and the occurrence probabilities, the map below was constructed by the Environmental Agency. The map is basically used to issue inform the public about the flood risk zones and get them ready for any flooding incidence. The map can also be used for commercial purposes for business persons to understand their location of businesses.
Flood Zones in Kendal
The map above is very vital for land use planning. For any development a person is planning, he or she has to perform a prior flood risk assessment and how the site under plan may be affected. The Environmental Agency can also locate suitable areas for flood defence constructions, the strength and stability required for the project ( help with nursing paper writing from experts with MSN & DNP degrees). Planning authorities within Kendal should utilize the map alongside the current flood risk assessment to find out the time needed for flood risk assessment, when the Environmental Agency consultations are required and when to carry out a sequential test when the required Strategic Flood Risk Assessment is lacking.
Kendal’s Flood Zones Probability Table
Flood Zones Flood Frequency (annual) Annual Probability (of flood occurrence ignoring flood defences)
Zone 1 1:1000 or less <0.1%
Zone 2a 1:100 and 1:1000 for river flooding 1%-0.1%
Zone 2b Between 1:200 and 1:1000 for sea flooding 0.5%-0.1%
Zone 3a 1:100 or greater for river flooding >1%
Zone 3b 1:200 or greater for sea flooding >0.5%

The following schemes including building innovative structures, applications of Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS), new infrastructure investments, raising awareness, coming up with new legislations concerning developments, new investments of weather predictions and forecast and smart defences constructions can be adopted in addition to mapping tools.
Flood Warning and Awareness
Flood warning should be continually adopted by the Environmental Agency to warn the residents concerning the floods. The environmental agency should perform flood forecast by studying the weather patterns related to flooding and recommend evacuations in area likely to be hit by floods. They need to monitor river levels, sea conditions and rainfall levels 24 hours a day. With the Met Office tidal reports as well as weather data integration, local area forecast on flood possibility and the respective severity. Areas such as Kendal and Burneside should be benefit from these warnings due to river flooding (Kuklicke & Demeritt, 2016).
Flood Proofing
This is a construction strategy that flood proofs a property. During developments, the floor levels should be raised above the supposed maximum flooding height including consideration of an allowance for climate changes. The construction should ensure that the property is not affected directly by the flooding and avoid electricity wiring damages, damages of furnishing, as well as the interior wall. Raised electrical wiring level including sockets reduce time to rectify damages after floods and risks of safety and health.
For already existing homes, watertight protections across the doors, air bricks and windows should be placed to avoid penetration of flood waters to the building’s interior. This step would be necessary for short flood periods. Water levels staying for a long period, however, may not be sustained by the flood boards. Therefore, new construction alternatives such as reconstruction should be considered to protect the existing properties from severe flooding.
SUDS
SUDS need to be adopted in parts of Kendal to manage drainage of the surface water in a manner that imitates the natural environment. The rainfall surface water management is a sure way to ensure future flood risk reduction both to the surrounding and site. Reducing the discharge rate from urban areas to green fields is one of the most effective methods that can be adopted to manage and reduce the risk of flooding within Kendal. SUDS aim at sustainable management through decreasing peak flow to sewers and watercourses thereby reducing the flooding risks downstream, lowering volumes and water frequency flowing directly to sewers and watercourses from developed sites, reducing moving water through harvesting of rainwater and improving amenities through providing a public open space and wildlife dwelling (Kuklicke & Demeritt, 2016). Proper SUDS installations are dependent on topography which should be well understood for drainage. SUDS schemes that are proposed for adoption include constructions in pervious surfaces that allow in penetration of water to the soil, use of green roofs from vegetation that reduce the runoff volume and direction of surface flow to ponds, basins or wetlands.
Innovative Structures
More innovative structures such as self-closing barriers and use of accessories or pipes that are laid underground to take surface water to proper disposals or treatment zones can be used in the control of floods (Oldenborgh, Otto, Haustein & Cullen, 2015). Government should allocate funds to the research institutions in order to encourage innovations that would lead to flood prevention or reduction within the affected zones in Kendal and other parts of Cumbria.
Legislations
Legislations should be set to define the standards of constructions in specific flood risk zones. The areas in different zones should have regulations regarding buildings to be erected in such areas. High risk zones will demand more compared to low probability zones. Emergency response teams should be easily reached through toll free services in matters of flooding. Annual allocation of funds from the government should be closely followed up through the oversight institutions to ensure that they are used in an appropriate manner. All future developments need to be monitored for flood risks and ensuring that safe routes are set to allow for secure evacuation. Depending on the zonal probabilities provided, the flood control techniques must be able to overcome the highest risk related to flooding in the three zones.

References
Brigade, L. F. (2016). London Fire Brigade-News releases. life, 16, 11.
Gross, M. (2016). World under water. Current Biology, 26(2), R47-R50.
Kuklicke, C., & Demeritt, D. (2016). Adaptive and risk-based approaches to climate change and the management of uncertainty and institutional risk: The case of future flooding in England. Jenkins, K., Surminski, S., Hall, J., & Crick, F. (2016). Assessing surface water flood risk and management strategies under future climate change: an agent-based model approach (No. 223). Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Global Environmental Change, 37, 56-68.
van Oldenborgh, G. J., Otto, F. E., Haustein, K., & Cullen, H. (2015). Climate change increases the probability of heavy rains like those of storm Desmond in the UK–an event attribution study in near-real time. Hydrology & Earth System Sciences Discussions, 12(12).
WALES, A. (2016). From the Chair.

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Tags: Flood alleviation