Am fortunate I live in an area where flooding doesn't occur and feel extremely sorry for those who do and for those currently affected by flooding. However if I lived in such a venerable area think I would take some basic precautions to protect my own property. May be easier said than done but perhaps insurance companies could encourage/make recommendations in return for lower premiums - or at least some cover for those over wise uninsurable.

Cannot disagree Sash.... BUT... if you remove woodland from the Cumbrian hillsides all that rain cascades down the slopes rather than being absorbed by the tree roots and ends up in the rivers.

As I also said in my original post, the river courses have been straightened over the last few decades in mistaken belief it would help and now the flow of the river is much faster and creates more volume. If the original river courses were re-instated the flow would reduce and pools would form rather than a raging torrent of water over-topping futile flood defence systems.

Exactly Plane my wise old friend!

A lot of surface water would be absorbed into the ground if people retained front gardens as just that... rather than paving them over for car parking!

All this water gets directed to the storm drains then into the rivers increasing volume and flow!

It's not rocket salad guys!

The opening post was like my geography degree on acid. Amazing.

Basically, mother nature will always win. You protect one area at the cost of another. Clear the trees I want the price of lamb to go down.

What were the coalition warned a while back? I think it was something along the lines of, ' for every £1 "saved" in short-term flood defence maintenance/improvements costs £8 in long-term economic damage. '
Well listened Dave

Edited by nickgusset (27 Dec 2015 2.17pm)

AH!! Now its an Issue? Hoofs right of course up to a point. We send millions of pounds overseas in Aid yet seem to treat our problems to a patchwork of the Army, Charity and good old British stoicism.

Pro USA & Israel