The sheer magnitude of the storm may not have been the only contributory factor to the floods. Some commentators have suggested that upland catchment management may reduced the ability of the catchment to absorb the rainfall. Carlisle sits on a rise at the confluence of 3 rivers; the Eden, the Caldew and the Petteril.
Full Answer
What happened in the Carlisle floods?
Over the years Carlisle has experienced some severe flooding, but none worse than in January 2005 when over 1,800 properties in the city flooded. Power and telephone lines were disrupted; road and rail networks were closed. I joined the Environment Agency in February 2005, right after the Carlisle and Cumbria Floods.
How are people in Nicholas County dealing with flooding damage?
(Spectrum News 1/Sam Knef) CARLISLE, Ky. — People in Nicholas County are trying to help each other pick up the mess left over from significant flooding overnight and into the morning Friday. The Carlisle community also mourned a woman killed by the flooding, which did serious damage to many of the small town’s homes.
What is the Nicholson Bridge in Carlisle?
The Nicholson Bridge was named after the former Area Manager of the Environment Agency who was instrumental in securing the £38m funding for the flood alleviation schemes in Carlisle, but who unfortunately passed away before they were started. The wall alongside McIlmoyle Way is constructed from 10m long steel sheet piles surrounded in concrete.
When did Carlisle flood?
What is the purpose of the Caldew and Carlisle flood?
How much water can be pumped from Durranhill Beck?
When were flood defences tested again?
Why are there railings on Elm Street?
Why does it flood so much in Carlisle?
It lies at the confluence of two rivers – The Eden and the Caldew, which have highly responsive catchments that feed large volumes of surface run-off from the surrounding fells. The area immediately to the south of the Eden was worst affected, where the floodplain has been developed.
Is Carlisle prone to flooding?
Carlisle has a history of flooding with large scale flood events occurring in 1968, 2005 and 2015 flooding both homes, businesses and impacting the wider community.
What caused the Cumbria floods?
Physical processes that impact flooding Cumbria is one of the wettest places in the UK. The county is exposed to air masses from the Atlantic Ocean, which bring high levels of precipitation. In October 2021, a slow-moving weather system caused unusually heavy rainfall across many parts of the UK.
What river flooded Carlisle?
the River EdenThe defences along the River Eden in this area were overtopped at the time of the peak flow in the River Eden. This was after the onset of flooding from the River Petteril.
What caused the flood in Cumbria 2015?
Heavy rainfall from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 December led to widespread flooding in Cumbria and across other parts of northern Britain. The flooding resulted from some exceptionally high rainfall totals across the Cumbrian fells, exceeding 300mm and breaking existing UK rainfall records.
Does the River Eden flood?
Flooding is possible on the River Eden and its tributaries from its confluence with the River Irthing through Crosby-on-Eden and Carlisle to the Solway Firth at Rockcliffe.
Why did the Cumbria floods 2009 happen?
Warm air from the mid-Atlantic moved towards land due to the prevailing wind. The warm air was forced upwards by the Cumbrian Mountains. As the air cooled, it condensed to form heavy rain.
How much rainfall fell in 24 hours which led to the Cumbrian floods?
Flooding hits Cumbria as deluge brings over 300 mm of rain in 24 hours.
What causes a river to flood?
Rainfall over an extended period and an extended area can cause major rivers to overflow their banks. The water can cover enormous areas. Downstream areas may be affected, even when they didn't receive much rain themselves. With large rivers the process is relatively slow.
Is Carlisle in the north west of England?
The City of Carlisle is located at the extreme north of North West England. It encompasses Cumbria's county town, Carlisle, and its surrounding rural hinterland, which together total 1,039.97 square kilometres (402 sq mi), making the city the largest in England by area.
Why did Carlisle flood 2005?
Heavy rainfall on Friday 7 January led to flooding in Carlisle on Saturday 8th January 2005. The rainfall was prolonged over the high ground of the nearby Lake District and Pennines, draining into the River Eden on which Carlisle is situated.
Is Carlisle in the north west of England?
The City of Carlisle is located at the extreme north of North West England. It encompasses Cumbria's county town, Carlisle, and its surrounding rural hinterland, which together total 1,039.97 square kilometres (402 sq mi), making the city the largest in England by area.
When did Carlisle flood?
Over the years Carlisle has experienced some severe flooding, but none worse than in January 2005 when over 1,800 properties in the city flooded. Power and telephone lines were disrupted; road and rail networks were closed.
What is the purpose of the Caldew and Carlisle flood?
The main aim of the scheme in Carlisle was to reduce the risk of flooding to residents and businesses, but we also took the opportunity to work with Cumbria County Council, Carlisle City Council and Sustrans to provide greater benefit. There are many elements of the Caldew & Carlisle City phase of the scheme that stand out to me, but might be less obvious to the general observer.
How much water can be pumped from Durranhill Beck?
The two biggest technical challenges we faced were the construction of a pumping station at the end of Durranhill Beck, which has two fully automated pumps that can pump 0.5 cubic metres of water per second from the flood storage reservoir; and installing a ‘pali radice piling system’ next to the River Petteril beneath the road towards Riverside House. This was a relatively innovative technique, which knitted together the historic sandstone river retaining wall and added the additional strength required to enable us to install the precast concrete flood defence wall on top.
When were flood defences tested again?
The flood defences were tested again in June 2012 and May 2013, preventing in excess of £180m of flood damage to the city. So you can see why this has been such a challenging, but fulfilling time to work for the Environment Agency and I continue to look forward to the challenges that my work will throw at me.
Why are there railings on Elm Street?
The railings in the old wall between Elm Street and the skew bridge over the River Caldew to Viaduct Estate Road are there to allow the flood water to spill onto the cycleway, increasing the width of the river when it’s in flood. The features built into the railings also reflect the former railway goods line that passed along there. The upstream section of railings depict the scene of a runaway train that partially demolished the bridge on 1st May 1984, the bridge was completely removed during the construction of our scheme, with some of the quoins (masonry blocks at the corners of the wall) from the bridge piers being left next to the path as seating.
Who is the leader of Carlisle City Council?
John Mallinson, the leader of Carlisle City Council, added: “We have seen the devastation that flooding can cause and we support any measures that strengthen our defences.”
Is Carlisle in flood protection?
A new phase of a flood protection scheme which "will provide one of the highest standards of protection in the country" to Carlisle has been completed.
When did the Carlisle flood last happen?
John Allan, in his Carlisle house after the flood subsided. ‘When it last happened in 2005, I thought it would never happen again but this time the water rose much higher. The government are not doing enough and we need a better flood defence system. Our house is ruined and we won’t be able to sell it now. Maybe we can try and sell it in 10 years time when this is forgotten about.’
Who was the photographer who visited the floods in Carlisle?
Following Storm Desmond, photojournalist Peter Caton visited people living on a severely flooded road in Carlisle, Cumbria. His images capture the impact of the floods on their lives and homes
Who said the water in her house went from zero to five feet high?
Anne Thomson stands in her front room with furniture and debris from the water scattered around her. ‘Within an hour the water in our home went from zero to five foot high. The house is now worth nothing.’
Who surveys his ruined belongings outside his home?
Bart Thomson surveys his ruined belongings outside his home. ‘Twenty-five years ago we didn’t have this problem with flooding. We don’t know what the answer is.’
When did Carlisle flood?
Over the years Carlisle has experienced some severe flooding, but none worse than in January 2005 when over 1,800 properties in the city flooded. Power and telephone lines were disrupted; road and rail networks were closed.
What is the purpose of the Caldew and Carlisle flood?
The main aim of the scheme in Carlisle was to reduce the risk of flooding to residents and businesses, but we also took the opportunity to work with Cumbria County Council, Carlisle City Council and Sustrans to provide greater benefit. There are many elements of the Caldew & Carlisle City phase of the scheme that stand out to me, but might be less obvious to the general observer.
How much water can be pumped from Durranhill Beck?
The two biggest technical challenges we faced were the construction of a pumping station at the end of Durranhill Beck, which has two fully automated pumps that can pump 0.5 cubic metres of water per second from the flood storage reservoir; and installing a ‘pali radice piling system’ next to the River Petteril beneath the road towards Riverside House. This was a relatively innovative technique, which knitted together the historic sandstone river retaining wall and added the additional strength required to enable us to install the precast concrete flood defence wall on top.
When were flood defences tested again?
The flood defences were tested again in June 2012 and May 2013, preventing in excess of £180m of flood damage to the city. So you can see why this has been such a challenging, but fulfilling time to work for the Environment Agency and I continue to look forward to the challenges that my work will throw at me.
Why are there railings on Elm Street?
The railings in the old wall between Elm Street and the skew bridge over the River Caldew to Viaduct Estate Road are there to allow the flood water to spill onto the cycleway, increasing the width of the river when it’s in flood. The features built into the railings also reflect the former railway goods line that passed along there. The upstream section of railings depict the scene of a runaway train that partially demolished the bridge on 1st May 1984, the bridge was completely removed during the construction of our scheme, with some of the quoins (masonry blocks at the corners of the wall) from the bridge piers being left next to the path as seating.
