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About the river Threats Climate Change Flooding
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Flooding
Floods are expected to increase in both frequency and magnitude (height). As well as the human/property damage caused by these events, our response through engineering and the floods themselves have a profound influence on the habitat of the river.
The Recent (September ’08) flooding in Northumberland and the ‘rush to repair’ have illustrated a number of problems to which the Trust will direct public authorities and policy makers. By carrying out its own research on forest and wetland hydrological systems (long-term monitoring amounting to more than 35 years) the Trust can make inputs to the flood management programmes currently seeking to adapt our response to floods through careful land-use management and wetland restoration.
'Surface water flooding' is now affecting people almost as severely as flooding from rivers. Whilst the severe river events since 2000 have been met with public investment in protection and warning, the changing nature of our rainfall - to longer duration , heavier falls - is creating a need for change in soil management on farms, water management in the countryside (including minor road drainage) and the small-scale, but costly outcomes.
Tyne Rivers Trust (TRT) has a much bigger role to play in surface water flooding through its networking with stakeholders in the catchment - thus we can collect evidence on where 'dirty floods' occur regularly, and support local communities in reaching the right authorities. Above all, TRT specialises in catchment management, by direct intervention in 'silt' management, both by providing advie on-site, and by influencing authorities like Natural England on the deployment of Stewardship and other schemes to help landowners follow best practice.
TRT is supporting the current Northumberland County Council initiative to gather more information from local people. Surface water flooding does not show up in river flow records or in news bulletins but, without adjustmentsto this aspect of climate change, it is here to stay.
Please contact Tyne Rivers Trust with reports of 'dirty floods' where you think we might be able to carry out catchment management but, above all, liaise with the regional flood information team at Northumberland County Council:
Tyne Rivers Trust: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Regional flood information team: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
