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KESWICK FLOOD ACTION GROUP

NEWS and ACTIVITIES

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1-10-2022 From Lynne Jones: Need to concentrate on this, they should not be removing reservoir structures from water sources with climate change. Mothball yes for now but walk away from reservoirs when there have been none built for decades? cumbriacrack 29-09-2022

05-10-2022 Report on sudden heavy rainfall event 30-09-2022 [ Dr Mark Roberts for KFAG ] Comparison of Rainfall Event on 30th September 2022 with other Major Rainfall Events On 30th September a very heavy but relatively short rainfall event occurred over northern Cumbria, and particularly over the Borrowdale area. Significant flooding was experienced in Borrowdale, with the BBC reporting that one farm lost 58 sheep: Sheep 'swept away' during Borrowdale flash flooding - BBC News

01-10-2022 On 30th September a very heavy but relatively short rainfall event occurred over northern Cumbria, and particularly over the Borrowdale area. Significant flooding was experienced in Borrowdale, with the BBC reporting that one farm lost 58 sheep:

01-10-2022 SURVEY from NFF Chief Exec: An ex-colleague of mine now an academic at Queen Mary is running a study looking at long-term targets for flood risk management for England. It’s part of a British Academy fellowship. Would you mind helping him by completing an online survey? Should only take 10-15 minutes. Feel free to forward on to others, eg. Other members of staff.

14-10-2022 FLOOD RISK REDUCTION [ Letter from Rod Donington-Smith to “The Keswick Reminder” It is that time of year again when trees shed their leaves, many of which become soggy and end up clogging roadside gutters and gullies (drains). Often gullies cease to take in water off the road simply because their grates are blocked by leaves and other debris – a problem that can often be easily resolved by clearing the debris off the grates. It is not so easy when gutters are filled with leaves, which will be quickly washed down to replace the ones that have just been removed! It is better to identify and report highways drainage problems early, including blocked gullies, to Cumbria CC using its website www.cumbria.gov.uk (go to Highways in the roads, travel parking section) or by telephoning 0300 303 2992 rather than waiting until flooding becomes a problem. Due to staff cuts the Council has less staff to monitor its highway drainage systems so is more important than ever for the public to report problems. RDS

28-11-2022-11-2022 Multi Agency Group Meeting. Very useful virtual multi agency meeting earlier this week resulting in a plan to meet up with the council's engineer to tour our key culverts and drains. That way the details of surface water issues can be passed onto the local teams who have to maintain them. Keen to make this work so fingers crossed. Lynne Jones from Facebook KFAG page

16-11-2022-11-2022 NATIONAL FLOOD FORUM AUTUMN NEWS LETTER We hope you enjoy our Autumn 2022 Newsletter with the latest information on new projects, policy and stories from our Flood Action Groups.

16-11-2022 RFCCs … Observations by Siriol Hogg ( From Facebook Group 16th Nov 2022 ) As you may be aware, there are 12 Regional Flood And Coastal Committees in England. RFCC’s members are drawn from the EA /or co-opted from Councils. Having attended a few RFCC’s, I came to realise that there were almost no Flood Action Group Members on them, or women. Council Co-Opted members (in the short time of their tenure) , cannot hope to learn all the many myriad of strands relating to flooding, as It is a huge learning curve. Plus they cannot afford to focus all their time on one subject. Often FLAG members can, because they are mainly made up of people who have been flooded, and are passionate about the subject.. RFCCs are shadowy authorities, largely unknown to Flood Groups Volunteers. Maybe a better way of recruiting cannot be found, but meanwhile at least all of the RFCC’s aught to have ONE member from a FLAG ?

09-11-2022 Lynne Jones: Thirlmere Releases (Additional) Thanks to United Utilities for starting the additional releases from Thirlmere as the level passed 3m. We will need all the storm space if it is a warm wet winter. Doesn't take long for that reservoir to fill up. Drought threats a distant memory.

31-12-2022 Lynne Jones via Facebook: Thirlmere Releases United Utilities started making the additional releases for some storm space at noon today. Going to be a tad wet over the next few days and into next week but currently there are no specific warnings for our area.

07-01-2023 Lynne Jones via Facebook: Thirlmere and Rain Not much wriggle room left in Thirlmere, just 40cms tonight and that will soon be gone I suspect. The Met Office promises another unsettled week ahead as a succession of Atlantic fronts bring regular bouts of rainfall/showers, totals adding up more over and to the west of the Pennines where the majority of the coming week’s rainfall will descend.

24-01-2023 Environmental catastrophe in The Lake District Amazing response to the latest film from the Save Windermere campaign. “Our Fish are Dying” Please continue to share the film across social media as this is the best way to gain traction on the video. The more people that know what happened, the better. We need justice for all the wildlife that we lost on that day on the Cunsey.

14-01-2023 Missing Environment Agency flood Data. Information 'could cost lives' - BBC News Also noticed is that the EA are frantically pumping out the Somerset levels. I wonder if they have done all their environmental studies to find out if they might be causing any damage to any species by protecting communities? One rule for one?

08-01-2023 GOV.UK Site Working together adapting to changing climate - flood and coast. This project explored how authorities work with communities on future planning and decision-making to help reduce flood and coastal erosion risk. Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) research reports’ GOV.UK

KESWICK FLOOD ACTION GROUP

NEWS AND ACTIONS

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If you wish to know more about the role and how to apply … Link here h t t p s : / / n a t i o n a l f l o o d f o r u m . o r g . u k / w p - c o n t e n t / u p l o a d s / 2 0 2 3 / 0 7 / T r u s t e e - pack-v1-100723.pdf 03 -0 5-2023 National Flood Forum Newsletter Spring 2023 This issue includes updates on NFF activity, new projects, flood action groups and the government approach to sustainable drainage systems and a lot more. We also include details of our forthcoming arts exhibition highlighting the experience of flooding and how to enter your work as well as paying tribute to Phil Awford, an unrelenting campaigner and great friend of the NFF. 03-05-2023 Environment Agency. Link to “Incidence Response” This what the EA do and how they handle an Incident. Text and Video p resentations of how it all works. Posted by “The Flood Hub” 24-04-2023 Environment Agency. A quick guide to the Environment Agency telemetry network. Andrew Booth Telemetry Technical Specialist November 2022 27-04-2023 Multi Benefit Reservoirs. New report on water supply reservoirs and their use in flood risk reduction from the EA. Environment Agency Utilisation of Public Water Supply Reservoirs for Flood Risk Benefit – Operating Framework. Long report detailed on EA site. 21-04-2023 New Civil Engineer (Magazine) Snippet 21 FEB, 2023 BY ROB HAKIMIAN Environment secretary Thérèse Coffey has demanded that water companies share their plans for improving Britain’s water infrastructure to improve water quality and reduce unnecessary overflows. 12-04-2023 EA changes to automated Flood Warning System. I am literally seething about this. The NFF are challenging it within the All Party Parliamentary Group but I will write to our MP, Trudy, from KFAG as well. My response to the NFF (who had already flagged up the hassle of people being anxious and moving furniture unnecessarily) was: 12-04-2023 EA changes to automated Flood Warning System. We have been trying to get the flood forecasting more incident specific and informative NOT making things a whole lot worse. The whole article from EA and KFAG comments are here … 28-02-2023 From NFM Natural Flood Programme: Evaluation Report Natural Flood Management (NFM) can manage flood and coastal erosion risk by protecting, restoring and emulating the natural processes of: catchments - rivers - floodplains - coasts It includes: re-meandering of rivers - restoration of wetlands - targeted woodland planting B26 were catchment scale pilots led by risk management authorities 34 were community scale pilots led by local groups and charitiesetween 2017 and 2021, we invested £15 million of government funding in the NFM programme. The programme was made up of 60 pilots across England: 31-01-2023 UNITED UTILITIES Long term plans for Crummock Water, Chapelhouse Reservoir and Overwater. We've been working with key stakeholders including the Environment

14-06-2023 River Greta Keswick. Pencil Factory gravel beds build up. EA to clear later in the year.

18-07-2023 Environment Agency. Time to check your ‘Flood Alert’ Details. iCheck and update your information in your flood warnings account, or tell us if you no longer need warnings. You can do this online at https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings.