Tewkesbury, River Severn

Physical causes

3rd largest river in GB, drains catchment of 11,50km^2, up to 800m relief, Avon & Teme join between Worcester and Tewkesbury, upper catchment =steep + low permeability, mean annual rainfall 2000mm, saturated soils - wettest summer since 1766

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Human causes

Building on the floodplain - Tewkesbury and Upton-on-Severn lack flood defences, urbanisation, drainage of farmland increases transfer of water into rivers

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What happened?

Severn raised up to 6m above normal levels, by July 21st, floodplain was inundated and river entered Tewkesbury Abbey for the first time in 247 years

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Electricity

Flooding of a substation near Gloucester left 50,000 homes without power for 2 days

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Water

A water treatment plant in Tewkesbury was flooded, leaving 140,000 households cut off for 5 days. Safe drinking water was restored on 7th August

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Motorists

10,000 had to abandon cars on the M5

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Insured loss

£1-1.5 billion, including property, vehicles, business disruption and expense of temporary accommodation

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Insurance claims

27,000 private claims, 6,800 business claims

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Agriculture

Crops submerged and hay destroyed due to sewage

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Environmental

1000s of small mammals drowned, ground nesting birds disrupted, fish left on floodplain when water receded

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Loss

Temporary accommodation for those forced to leave homes, Severn Trent water authority distributed 5 million litres per day of bottled water and 1500 water bowsers, £87 million to schools, transports and businesses

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Evaluation

Due to the flashy flood + unexpected magnitude, it was appropriate to modify the loss

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Event - temporary flood barriers

Government pledge to increase spending by £200 million to £800 million by 2011

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Evaluation

Spending on flood defences doubled 1997-2007, however, other than temporary flood barriers in Upton-on-Severn and raising the Gloucester embankments, there are no plans to increase defences

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Vulnerability

Flood warnings on TV, radio and the EA 'flood line', with 3 levels of alert: flood watch, flood warning and severe flood warning. Effective and widely distributed, but relies on individuals' efficiency.

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Tewkesbury, River Severn

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