Detailed notes on important flood events, ideal for including in IB Geography (Option A: Freshwater) essays, exams and other assignments. Covers impacts, scale, post-event management and causes of the floods to give a comprehensive overview of each flood event. Important facts and statistics needed...
TEWKESBURY FLOOD – JULY 2007
The Causes of the
Flood
Physical Causes
Tewkesbury is vulnerable to flood
events due to its geographical location
with two sizeable rivers - the Severn
and the Avon - meeting in the town
which both overflowed their banks
Summer of 2007 in England and Wales
was the wettest since record began in 1766 due to a low-pressure system over the UK, with an
extreme event on July 20th.
Little sunshine meant evaporation rates were low, which when combined with intense rainfall
led to extreme flooding.
The jet stream was located further south than usual since early June of 2007, with a train of
waves from the North Pacific to Europe and a trough occurring near to the UK.
o This led to Atlantic weather systems being steered towards the UK which were slow
moving meaning prolonged rainfall events.
In addition, the trough near the UK caused air to move from a more southerly track than is
expected, leading to air carrying more moisture due to it passing over warm seas.
The flooding of southern and central England on July 20th was a result of a low pressure system
located over Calais in the morning which slowly moved Northwest brining warm, continental air.
o This, when meeting the cooler air to the North, created an area of instability ideal for
storm generation.
Soils were already saturated due to the heavy rainfall occurring in the months leading up to the
flooding.
o This meant water could not infiltrate into the ground, causing overland flow and
intensifying the floods.
Human Causes
Building on floodplains
No flood defences in Tewkesbury
Effects of the Flood
Social Effects:
13 people lost their lives and hundreds had to be evacuated
Significant damage to most properties in the area with nearly 50,000 homes affected, with
people losing personal belongings and made homeless - staying with friends or relatives and 850
families had to stay in caravans, some up to Christmas 2008.
Infrastructure severely affected, with roads cut off and badly damaged.
, On 22nd May water treatment works shut down. The media reporting's of imminent loss of
water supplies, meant usage doubled and led to water depletion.
By 24th July, 140,000 properties in Gloucestershire had no water supply.
Alternative water supplied by bottles, bowsers and tankers had to be used. Water supplies were
not fully restored until the 1st August. 50,000 properties without power for 48 hours
Economic Impacts:
Flooding coast local councils 140 million pounds
Total cost to UK economy estimated to be 3.2 billion pounds
9,000 businesses affected
More than 180,000 insurance claims
Agriculture sector severely affected and where floodwater contained sewage crops had to be
destroyed
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