KESWICK FLOOD ACTION GROUP
NEWS and ACTIVITIES
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14-06-2023

Gravel deposites. River Greta Fitze Park to Greta Bridge. EA to clear during October.
21-09-2023 KESWICK COMMUNITY RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP More volunteers to help out in various roles from providing catering to knocking on doors/helping residents with flood gates etc. CONTACT: Claire keswickfloodrecovery@gmail.com Phone on 07841678767
26-09-2023 Thank you to United Utilities for starting the additional releases (aka the "KFAG releases") to try to give us a bit of storm space. For August through to end of November this extra flow kicks in when the reservoir is within 3 metres of the spillway so UU have done it in good time. You can see the effect it has on St Johns Beck here: Click graphic on right to OPEN.
16-11-2024 NEWS from Environment Agency 1 National News ( The Telegraph ) 15-11-2023 “More than 200,000 homes in danger as money runs out to fix flood defences Shortfall of £34m means thousands of properties have been left at greater risk, says National Audit Office” Link to article is here
16-11-2024 NEWS from Environment Agency 2 National News ( The Guardian ) 15-11-2023 Flood protection plans for English homes cut by 40% Quarter of new flood defence projects will also not go ahead, NAO finds, as Environment Agency blames cuts on inflation Link to article is here
Gravel R Greta downstream 17-10-2023
Gravel R Greta upstream 17-10-2023
17-10-2023 River Greta after Gravel Removal by EA. Left pic downstream to Bridge, Right pic upstream to Park. Taken opposite the Pencil Factory.
15-11-2023 NAO Press Release: Resilience to flooding The Environment Agency (EA) has cut its forecast for the number of additional properties that will be better protected from flooding by 40% since plans were first unveiled in 2020, according to a new report by the National Audit Office. EA estimates that inflation accounts for between a half and two-thirds of this reduction. Resilience to flooding sets out that EA has reduced its forecast of the number of properties it will be able to better protect by 2027 from 336,000 to 200,000, a reduction of 40 per cent. In addition, EA is removing 500 of the 2,000 new flood defence projects that were originally included in the programme. This is despite government doubling its capital funding in England in the six years to 2027 to £5.2 billion to combat the danger of flooding. Full article is here
05/12/2023 Letter sent to the I and the Guardian by Lynne Jones MBE In the decades to come water will be an increasingly vital resource. Nationally we will need to be able to efficiently transfer water from water rich areas to those experiencing drought AND manage the water storage infrastructure in such a way that it does not create a flood risk for communities downstream of reservoirs. Should we be relying on these greedy, dishonest water companies to prepare for that challenge with their background of using any wriggle room, that loosely worded legislation offers them, to get permission to charge their customers more and more, whilst shareholder profits and director's salaries go on unchallenged and unquestioned? FULL t ext is here
05-12-2023 E A and United Utilities Raw Sewage reporting at Windemere World Heritage Site. BBC News / Panorama Dec 4 2023. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment- 67567323?xtor=ES-208- [67188_NEWS_NLB_DEF_WK49_MON_4_DEC]- 20231204- [bbcnews_investigationwaterpollution_newsscienceand environment]
13-01-2024 COMMENT: See any similarity, Lives severely impacted, financial loss, mental health affected. Defra , Government Departments/ (Levelling up, Communities and Housing ) could be likened to the PO. They are the equivalent body for Flood victims ? How many communities have been denied Flood defences, or are waiting for Flood defences to be installed ? Or can longer get any insurance or sell their houses. Or didn’t received any Government help when they were flooded, because there wasn’t enough Flood Victims, to meet the EA cost/ benefit criteria, for obtaining help. There were 16,000 houses flooded in 2015, but there have been many storms since. The misery and stress that floods induce, is incalculable. I wish a film maker would come and make a film of what happened to my village. We tried to sue the EA but it was hopeless. In the recent round of honours, the Deputy Director of the EA Kate Marks, received a gong for services to the Environment. Despite the situation regarding Sewerage and lack of help and flood defences for Floodies. Siriol Hogg
17-01-2024 Environment Agency and Fujitsu According to the New Civil Engineer (12 Jan 2024) “The Environment Agency has defended its decision to continue its flood alert warning contract worth £19.5M to tarnished Japanese software company Fujitsu, despite its involvement in the Horizon Post Office scandal.”
1 8-01-2024 UK Parliament [ Committees ] Flood resilience eroded by poorly maintained defences with Government in the dark on progress. Number of protected properties could continue to dwindle from current levels of at least 40% fewer than planned Committee concerned at development continuing in areas of clear flood risk.

10-09-2023

Gravel removal by EA. River Greta Fitze Park to Greta Bridge

17-09-2023

EA on the Job … Parked up for Sunday break at the Pencil Museum car park.
KESWICK FLOOD ACTION GROUP
NEWS AND ACTIONS
I NDEX Page - 02
30-05-2024 Cumberland Council Update - Upper Borrowdale Valley Section 19 Flood Investigation Report for Flood Event 30 September 2022 Final Version Approved July 2023 23-05-2024 Met Office Press Office 22-05-24 Climate change drives increase in storm rainfall A new study has found climate change has influenced how much rain falls during autumn and winter storms. 22-05-2024 EA Data Map ‘Hydrology Explorer’ This is a data portal enabling you to access live and historic hydrometric and water quality data from the EA. Link to DATA MAPS page 23-05-2024 22-05-2024 EA Stakeholder Update - Flooding 22 May 2024 Covering rain impacts 22 / 23 May 2024. Gives insight on how EA currently deals with these situations 1 9-03-2024 KFAG comment on United Utilities press release. Credit Keswick Reminder Sat March 16, 2024 United Utilities has today published a road map showing how it will deliver cleaner rivers, beaches and lakes across the North West the biggest investment of its kind in the UK. By 2050 the goal is to ensure that storm overflows, the relief points that prevent sewers from backing up and flooding homes and businesses in heavy rain, each operate less than 10 times a year. Sewage in our lakes and rivers will continue to be a problem even with UUs ambitous (albeit) 25 year plan ! Click on READ MORE for full details and KFAG response 1 5-03-2024 £50,000 boost for Keswick flood project. Credit Keswick Reminder Sat March 16, 2024 A project which aims to reduce Keswick’s flood risk has got a £50,000 boost. West Cumbria Rivers Trust’s Resilient Glenderamackin scheme has been given the cash by Lloyds Banking Group. The project is one of the largest catchment-based projects in the country and supported by The Rivers Trust and Nature Finance. It aims to deliver nature-based solutions to reduce flood risk to Keswick whilst restoring nature and mitigating against climate change in the 142sq km Glendermackin catchment. 0 1 -01-2024 The Flood Hub … Spring 2024 News Letter. Up to date information accross the Region. 1 8-01-2024 UK Parliament [ Committees ] Flood resilience eroded by poorly maintained defences with Government in the dark on progress. Number of protected properties could continue to dwindle from current levels of at least 40% fewer than planned Committee concerned at development continuing in areas of clear flood risk. 17-01-2024 Environment Agency and Fujitsu According to the New Civil Engineer (12 Jan 2024) “The Environment Agency has defended its decision to continue its flood alert warning contract worth £19.5M to tarnished Japanese software company Fujitsu, despite its involvement in the Horizon Post Office scandal.” 13-01-2024 COMMENT: See any similarity, Lives severely impacted, financial loss, mental health affected. Defra , Government Departments/ (Levelling up, Communities and Housing ) could be likened to the PO. They are the equivalent body for Flood victims ? How many communities have been denied Flood defences, or are waiting for Flood defences to be installed ? Or can longer get any insurance or sell their houses. Or didn’t received any Government help when they were flooded, because there wasn’t enough Flood Victims, to meet the EA cost/ benefit criteria, for obtaining help. There were 16,000 houses flooded in 2015, but there have been many storms since. The misery and stress that floods induce, is incalculable. I wish a film maker would come and make a film of what happened to my village. We tried to sue the EA but it was hopeless. In the recent round of honours, the Deputy Director of the EA Kate Marks, received a gong for services to the Environment. Despite the situation regarding Sewerage and lack of help and flood defences for Floodies. Siriol Hogg 05/12/2023 Letter sent to the I and the Guardian by Lynne Jones
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