LevellerLive

This latest update was sent to us by the Environment Agency at 4pm this afternoon. As ever please pass it on and share with anyone who you know needs the information.

High spring tides High spring tides are predicted between Saturday 1 March and Tuesday 4 March.  The highest is likely to be about 08:00 on Monday at Hinkley Point. The levels are similar to those predicted for the high tides in early January and early February. As long as there is no tidal surge, the levels next week are not expected to cause any flooding issues on the Wessex North coast. It is really important though for us to review the tides and the weather forecast together to make sure we can predict what the impact might be.  As a precaution we are making sure temporary defences are in place where flooding occurred on the previous high tides.  This includes Blake Gardens in Bridgwater, and sandbagging along the lowest spots of the River Parrett near Burrowbridge. The high tides are not expected to cause levels in Northmoor or Curry Moor to rise however, pumping at Salt Moor and Northmoor may be reduced or stopped at the operator’s discretion at the peak of high tide. Pumps will be restarted as soon as possible once conditions allow.  We are not expecting the tides to have any impact on the levels or pumping upstream of Langport.

Significant issues still include:

• Muchelney, Thorney and Langport – The roads leading to the villages of Muchelney and Thorney remain flooded and impassable. There is one pump operating at Midelney and one at Huish Episcopi. We are monitoring the situation closely and will increase the number of pumps operating as soon as possible.  Monksleaze Clyce has been opened further this morning, allowing more flows down the Sowy/King’s Sedgemoor Drain system, in turn, relieving levels in the Rivers Parrett and Tone. River levels in the Yeo and the Parrett are rising slightly in response to overnight rainfall.  Drain levels are also reducing gradually.
• West Sedgemoor – The levels at West Sedgemoor Pumping Station remain high but stable. One pump is now operating at the pumping station and will continue to pump as long as conditions allow.
• Curry Moor – The levels in Curry Moor are stable. The spillway at Hookbridge is still running slightly at present. As river levels drop, this will cease to run.  Athelney spillway continues to run. There is one static diesel pump currently running at the pumping station. As conditions improve we will operate more pumps accordingly. We are currently managing a balancing act with pumping and monitoring downstream conditions in what is a constantly changing situation. The A361 remains closed and this will be the case until the Athelney spillway stops running and the levels in Northmoor and Saltmoor drop.
• Northmoor and Saltmoor – Northmoor and Saltmoor Pumping Stations are operating at full capacity. We currently have over 50 pumps serving the area in and around Moorland and are evacuating approximately 1.5 million tonnes of water every day, subject to tidal conditions and necessary maintenance. The levels at Northmoor and Saltmoor are dropping.
• Temporary track way at Northmoor – the Environment Agency track way has been constructed with the permission of a local landowner.  It was constructed by us for Environment Agency use only. The track way is to be used to access our local pumping stations and allow us to reach the area where local properties on Northmoor and Moorland are being protected from flooding.  It is not intended for general public access.
• Huntworth – Four large capacity Dutch pumps have been installed near Newhouse Farm to allow us to pump water from the moors into the River Parrett. These are not generally operating, but will remain in place as a contingency for the high tides expected this weekend.
• Sowy – Monksleaze Clyce has been opened further this morning.  We currently have eight pumps in place at Dunball, all of which are operational and running during high tides. Water in the Kings Sedgemoor Drain will continue to flow into the Parrett estuary under gravity when the tide allows, currently passing 70 cubic metres/second (known as cumecs) of water. The pumps remove an additional 15 cumecs.
• Westonzoyland – All pumps (including the five temporary pumps) are operational. Water levels in the Penzoy (Andersea Main Rhyne) have reduced in the Lakewall area by 5cm since the last update on Wednesday. The temporary defences that were installed as an additional precaution at Aller Drove and Westonzoyland are still in place.
• Aller Drove – Please see the text above on Monksleaze Clyce (under Sowy).  We have placed some temporary flood defences along Aller Drove to mitigate any increased flood risk here.
• Long Load – Levels in the River Yeo are rising      slightly in response to overnight rainfall. Levels on the adjacent moors      remain high but have started to fall slowly.  There is one pump operating at Long Load      and we plan to remove more water in the next 24 hours if conditions allow.
• Brue and Axe – River levels in the catchment remain      high but stable with no significant issues.

Our Incident Hotline No is 0800 807060 and ask to speak to the Flood Incident Duty Officer for the area. Floodline No: 0845 988 1188 or 0345 988 1188