FLOODING: The aftermath

Introduction

As personal belongings and skips of refuse are removed from the roads of Roos sandbags still remain in place in case of further heavy rainfall.
They serve as a constant reminder of the events of 25th June.

Roos village is around twenty feet above the natural flood plain lying to the south. In these circumstances flooding was an event which should never have happened even during periods of exceptionally heavy rainfall.

But it did!

On 26th July just a month after Roos was severely flooded, a heavy storm hit the village. The storm was not unduly severe, just typical of that to be expected during a normal summer.
But this is no normal summer!

Yet again, Main Street was flooded, threatening properties with further flood damage.

Dimples Cottage, where renovations were just about to commence, was most at risk. 

Fortunately the rain stopped just in time and the property was spared.

Mr. D. Dry was again on hand and together with Councillors Ken Grant and Jackie Cracknell, lifted drain covers to examine what lay beneath.
They discovered tree roots and silt restricting the normal flow of water,
providing clear evidence and justification for the complaints made to various authorities by Mr and Mrs J.Cook over the past year.

Clearly, there are problems with the drains in Main Street which require urgent attention and possibly others elsewhere in the locality .

So, could it have been prevented? What lessons are there to be learned?

A detailed examination into the causes of flooding in the centre of Roos is underway.

EXAMINATION OF ROOS BECK
On Saturday, 14th July, Parish Councillors, Winter and Grant, (Chairman of Keyingham Drainage Board), were accompanied by two representatives of the ERYC, who with Mr E. Winter and Mr. D Dry undertook a detailed examination the length of Roos Beck.
Their full report is awaited, however, early indications suggest that some parts of Roos Beck still remain to be cleared.

A further examination was undertaken by ERYC technical experts on 25th July.

STRUCTURED DE-BRIEF MEETING 20th JULY.

The meeting was led by Richard Powell, a visitor to the parish, with extensive professional expertise in this field.

The broad aims were to identify, share and discuss personal experiences in order to establish:

• what went wrong (negatives);
• what went right (positives);
• future strategies for improving existing practice.

Identified negatives:

• lack of maintenace of drains and Roos Beck;
• no support provided from the Local Authority or Emergency Services;
• lack of information;
• no emergency plans in place;
• health risks

Identified positives:

• community spirit;
• actions of local builders and farmers in the use of their own equipment.

Identified future needs:

• emergency plans to be prepared
• maintenance of Roos Beck
• sources of equipment and labour in event of an emergency
• action from authorities when needed
• welfare of residents.

This summary is supported by detailed evidence.

The full report will be considered by the Parish Council who will develop and then implement future policies.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PUBLIC AUTHORITIES  & RIPARIAN OWNERS

Introduction

For several years past, Lamb Lane Roos, has been subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. Here, the cause is known. Roos Beck collects water draining from the many ditches and drains surrounding the village. It runs through the village centre where various sections have been potted. Grills designed to prevent debris entering them, become regularly blocked with debris, causing a back up of water making the road impassable for cars and pedestrians alike.

Flooding elsewhere, in Main Street and Hodgson Lane, is more likely to be caused by inadequate road or foul water drainage.

Understandably, the public often link the two together and look to a single body for assistance and remedial action.

In practice things are more complicated as several different bodies are charged with specific responsibilities, determined by separate but related, Acts of Parliament:

• The Public Health Act 1936;
• The National Rivers Authority (now the Environment Agency) Land Drainage Byelaws 1981.
• The Land Drainage Act 1991 and 1994, and,
•  The Water Resources Act 1991.

For example,
The East Riding of Yorkshire Council is responsible for the drains which remove surface water from a highway. Their responsibilty is limited, the ERYC website states.

`We will only provide sandbags to protect property where the water is actually coming off the public highway'. `Water which flows off the surrounding land is the householders responsibility to take whatever action is necessary themselves'.

For further advice contact the ERYC floodline on 01482 393399

Yorkshire Water is responsible for foul water, usually carrying sewage. Contact Yorkshire Water on 0845 1242424

Riparian Ownership.
So far as it is possible to determine, there is currently no evidence of there having been any advice given, or published, about the rights and responsibilities of Riparian Owners for residents within Roos Parish.

For full details visit the website of:
The Environment Agency. Living on the Edge 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/362926/?version=1&lang=_e

Extracts taken from this, and other documentation, indicates that :

You are a Riparian Owner if:

you live in property or own land adjacent to a watercourse, even though it may be outside the boundary described in your property deeds, or, beyond what you generally understand to be your garden boundary.
In these circumstances you are considered to own the land up to the centre of the watercourse, unless it is known to be owned by others. This includes culverts or potted sections.

Riparian responsibilities:
A Riparian owner is required to maintain the watercourse clear of:

• rubbish, garden refuse, animal carcases and any other debris;
• excessive undergrowth, trees and tree roots, etc. growing within the channel.

A Riparian owner is not permitted to construct any structure likely to affect the flow of water without prior approval from responsible bodies such as the Environment Agency.

Failure to carry out such responsibilities could result in possible civil action from others.

Legislation provides for authorities to take or enforce action where necessary.

A further reminder, consult the website:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/362926/?version=1&lang=_e

At this stage it is not known what policies or action the various authorities may decide to take.

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