Floods : Is it time for a different approach ?

[Frederick]

Watching the news of the floods in the Welsh village and caravan park . Given the 4 to 5 inches of rain that fell in 24 hours is it not time to treat rivers in hilly areas like they do in  Spain through towns and Villages ....

Dig them out deep  wall and bottom them with concrete so the water can rip out through into the sea ?   Treat the rivers as though they were storm drains . I think too many have been left to silt up over over the years and now protected as fish breeding and wildlife reserves to look pretty and not to be touched .  Is it time for a change of plan as it seems the weather pattern experts  now predict  4 or 5 inch rainfalls in 24 hours will be more common . Time to put people first not birds and fish in these circumstances and protect lives and property  .

[idun]

No no no. People should stop over populating this little planet and start thinking about looking after this little world we live on.

[NickP]

How do you equate copulation with lots of rain falling on a Welsh hillside Idun? Still maybe you believe in horizontal rain dancing [:D]

[woolybanana]

Over copulation equals over population?

If the caravan sites had not been built in places where rivers flood, if the river courses had not been limited and constrained, if housing had kept away from the river's 'territory', there would have been many fewer problems.

After all, just look at what happened in the Vendée a year or so ago - lives lost because housing was located below sea level,  behind a weak sea wall which was too low, and known to be so. People should have never been allowed to build there.

[idun]

When I was young I never met anyone who was adventurous enough to do horizontal rain dancing with anywhere, never mind on any hillside....... and I'm rather too old now.

I have no problem with copulation......... it is the subsequent conception that I have a problem with. And F said that we should put people first, above the rest of nature....... and I don't agree......... too many of us already.

A subject very close to my heart.

[Frederick]

Boscastle...Cockermouth and now this one . Years ago Lynton and Lynmouth  all coastal villages  that had sudden heavy rainfall  flood events because the rivers in their catchment area could not cope .... So why is it OK for Spain to deal with the run off from their hills  through engineering by changing the river flows  to deal with sudden heavy falls of rain protecting lives and property and not for the UK  or France for that matter to do the same ?   Its few birds and fish that will push off somwhere else up stream no doubt ... I am not suggesting slaughter of wildlife ...I like fishing !

[Gardengirl]

A lot of work has gone in to coping with sudden huge downpours in our area of France since the dreadful 2002 floods. Large areas leading down from garrigue have been prepared and lined with concrete for floods to rush through, plus areas where floodwater can lie temporarily in safety. This is especially important for when the soil has baked all summer and can't absorb such heavy rain.

I've been concerned about a lack of sense in our area in UK for years, where building on flood plains seems to accepted, despite objections by residents who know the area. Not very far from our UK house stands a multiplex cinema with a massive car park; we used to watch the horses in the fields it was built on huddle in the higher corners when it flooded regularly. Now when it rains heavily, the nearby roads and roundabout leading to the M4 get flooded, traffic has to find another route, usually through housing estates built on surrounding fields, and wonder why they are being inconvenienced. There is also a large council park and ride scheme next door; cars would be caught in the floods and the council had to cover massive costs. There is now a warning system in place as drivers approach the car park to let them know if floods might be expected.

I'm not sure that population control would help much here, as most families locally seem to have 1-3 children which covers replacement. Population control in areas where huge families are common is a concern; it was hoped that with education and improved health leading to more children surviving would lead to smaller families, but I don't think that's always borne out.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="idun"]

I have no problem with copulation......... it is the subsequent conception that I have a problem with. And F said that we should put people first, above the rest of nature....... and I don't agree......... too many of us already.

A subject very close to my heart.

[/quote]With you all the way there.  I've done my bit. 

[Chancer]

[quote user="gardengirl "]
I'm not sure that population control would help much here, as most families locally seem to have 1-3 children which covers replacement. [/quote] But it doesnt though it leads to a massive population explosion as witnessed these past few centuries, having 2-3 children will only make the population stable if the parents kick the bucket when their offspring start to procreate.

So we either have children at 16-20 and die at 35-40 like only a few generations ago or we start families when both parents have reached 40.

Putting aside the considerable risks to both mother and child for a conception at that age, assuming that medical science could crack that one I think it would make for a far better society for children to grow up with mature parents and grand parents as role models, but then I guess that I am biased as I did.