With the recent heavy rain-fall, this June came a fraction of an inch from being the wettest June on record - is it a sign of climate change, or just another great British wet summer? Glastonbury is a washout of mud-bogs again. One thousand Sheffield people have been evacuated from their homes as the rainwater rises.

Residents in South Yorkshire were urged to leave their homes by local authorities following the collapse of a sizeable section of the Ulley Dam¹ . And the Met' Office warns that it is only getting worse.

A turn-around from fears of another impending hosepipe ban earlier this year, the official line is that 'a large area of low pressure [is] meandering across Britain, and a slow-moving warm front [is] keeping the rain in the same place.'² Sheffield had already endured 236mm of rainfall by the 26th June, and several weather stations were reported to have already recorded their highest levels of rainfall for June -despite the month end still being a few days away.

Last year, the autumn and winter seasons together were Britain's wettest on record, following the warmest spring since 1914. The Fire Service have taken more than seven thousand calls relating to the flooding and rescued about three and a half thousand³ people. Recorded injuries are in excess of six hundred. The highest numbers of calls were in Humberside and West Yorkshire.

The Environment Agency has warned that homes in East Anglia, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire that were badly hit in the November 2000 flooding may well be hit again this year. The recent heavy rain has caused a number of rivers to burst their waterlogged banks, have had the RAF airlifting sandbags to hold back the floodwaters, and caused heavy traffic build-up in Sheffield as the M1 was temporarily closed due to flooding4.

Newspapers on 29th of June were warning that less than an inch of rain was needed to ensure June 2007's place in history as the wettest June on record⁵ -a safe prediction allowing for the two inches rainfall expected for the weekend of 30 June-1 July, but the climatic subsidence to short, sharp showers managed to secure it instead as the wettest June since 1914.

Fortunately, with the reduction of rainfall, a number of river areas have calmed to a 'Flood watch' status from earlier predictions, and north-western and southern areas of England have been confirmed 'All clear.' However, the Ea Beck and the Lower Don, Doncaster, remain on 'Severe Warning' status⁶ -despite the efforts of fire-crews from 15 areas using heavy-duty pumps to drain the lakes.⁷

Despite, this more positive turnaround to the weather forecast, the heavy rainfall has caused significant damage and loss. Reuters said on 29th June that they expected the claims from flooding this week to reach £1bn,⁸ and insurers are calling on the government to improve flood defence spending. The flood toll on June 30 noted that 27,000 homes and 5,000 businesses have been hit by the recent flooding⁹ according to the Environment Agency.

So, is this a possible result of climate change, or just another wet summer? And are we suitably equipped to deal with the deluge? Five million people, in two million properties across England and Wales live in flood-risk areas,¹⁰ and with the pressure on to develop more land to meet affordable housing targets¹¹ these figures may increase. The Times reports that Simon Hughes, Flood-Risk Manager for the Environment Agency, has confirmed that flood defences are being inspected to not only check their condition, but also assess how they have performed in the recent extreme weather.

Matt Travis, RPS Technical Director, at Leeds, says, "Flooding is becoming an increasing part of life within the UK. In the last ten years we have seen more extreme rainfall events and the devastating consequences of flooding on peoples property. Climate change models have been predicting that rainfall intensities would increase for a number of years, and we are now starting to see some of these predictions becoming reality.

There is a growing body of evidence that climate change has occurred and is causing real impacts.

RPS Hydrology teams are currently working with clients on flood protection measures for their sites situated within floodplains, with the aim being to reduce the risk of disruption and damage during flood events. RPS is a leading multi-disciplinary environmental consultant, specialising in a wide range of services, including hydrology and flood risk assessment."

For more information please contact:
RPS Leeds - Planning & Development
T: 01132 206190

¹ Some Ulley Dam evacuees were allowed to return to their homes on Wednesday night (27th June 2007), but the houses remain flooded. Fire crews pumped water from Ulley Reservoir to reduce pressure, and lorries brought in stone to make repair works. Similar operations have also been carried out in Doncaster where fire-crews pumped water from the lakes to reduce the water levels.

² The Guardian. Tuesday June 26, 2007. 'Records Tumble as Britain is Hit by Months of Extremes' John Vidal.

³ The Guardian. Thursday June 28, 2007. 'Flood Rescue Crews "Working to Point of Collapse"' James Sturcke.

⁴ The M1 has re-opened with sections near the Ulley Dam remaining closed as a precaution against the embankment collapsing further.

⁵ The Times. Thursday June 28, 2007. 'Flood-Hit Towns and Villages Told to Get Ready for More Heavy Rain' Lewis Smith. The wettest June on record, according to The Times, is currently June 1980, which endured 4.8inches of rainfall.

⁶ (and 10) Statistics from the Environment Agency - see http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/floodwarning/

⁷ The Guardian. Monday July 2, 2007. 'Tide Begins to Turn for Flooded Villages' Martin Wainwright.

⁸ Reuters. Friday June 29, 2007. 'UK Flood Claims May Cost £1bln stg - Insurer Group' Simon Challis.

⁹ The Times. Saturday June 30, 2007. ''Emergency Support Centre Ready to Help the Worst-Hit Regions' Valerie Elliott.

¹⁰ Ibid. 6.

¹¹ For more information on this, please see: Affordable Housing -Increasing the Pressure 31st Jan 2007.