Taken from the Landworker magazine, the voice of the rural worker
With vast swathes of our rural
farmland and countryside, especially in the south west, currently lying
abandoned underwater, with no end to the seemingly constant deluge in sight,
there are many questions the government and environment agency need to answer.
Recent years have shown flooding is
a real and frequent risk – and those in power must take responsibility and
appropriate action. In West Yorkshire, local people have published a report
showing how changes to the landscape could reduce the severity.
Understanding the Hebden Water
Catchment is the result of a campaign – Ban the Burn – in which people living in Hebden Bridge expressed
concerns that the destruction of blanket bog on a local upland moorland estate
was helping cause flooding in the town. In recent years, Hebden Bridge has
regularly flooded, resulting in some businesses permanently closing.
In 2012, Ban the Burn joined the RSPB in complaining to the European
Commission (EC) at the decision of Natural England (NE) to drop plans to
prosecute the Walshaw Moor Estate (WME) on 43 grounds of uncontested
environmental damage, including converting a stream to a track.
Local businessman Richard Bannister
owns WME. Under his 12-year stewardship the increased facilitation of grouse
shooting has resulted in a significant removal of blanket peat bog. This forms
over thousands of years and can, according to NE, ‘help reduce flood risk
through slowing hydrological pathways.’
With the EC decision not expected
till later this year, campaigners began mapping the 59 sq km circling Hebden
Bridge. A number of local reservoirs are often close to capacity and therefore
are of little benefit in preventing flooding.
Many field drains were found to be
unmapped or in poor condition. In some cases, new housing had been built over
old drainage routes. Establishing ponds could have wildlife benefits and also
help cut run-off. Regularly moving cattle from one location to another can
reduce the impact of erosion and increase the depth of soils.
Pathways and tracks are great at
encouraging walkers but can become water channels in floods and the report
suggests adapting them to guide floodwater away from properties. 1950s manmade
drainage channels called grips also need monitoring, and in some cases removed,
to reduce water flow.
The Forestry Commission ‘Woodlands
for Water’ project is aiming to identify
areas where creating new woodlands can mitigate flooding. Only five per cent of
the Hebden Bridge water catchment is wooded and its residents have now drawn up
a map showing potential areas for tree planting, which, if successful, would
quadruple the figure to 20%.
The burning of peat bog to create a
habitat for grouse breeding, feeding and raising chicks for the shooting season
is not only a flooding concern. Burning releases carbon into the atmosphere and
affects water quality, with the increased costs for treatment being added to
water bills.
The report also offers some simple
suggestions including ensuring drains are kept unblocked, flood wardens are
recruited and old river structures are repaired
Understanding the Hebden Water
Catchment is well worth reading and can be
accessed online at http://www.treesponsibility.com/
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