Dredging would have helped some (not all) of the problem. It stands to reason the more room in a river, dyke, ditch etc the more it can carry and cope with.
The public and powers that be don't seem to hold much store with the fact that farms, fields and livestock all play a significant part in this country's economy and are more affected by this than a 'normal' house holder.
A farm on the news the other night had 150 head of cattle stood in a foot of water in the crew while he was desperately trying to get transport organised to move them. Cattle that cost on average £1000 per head. His whole winter supply of feed was under water and ruined. All this after he and helpers from neighbouring farms had spent the preceding days building a bank around it trying to keep the water out. Fields that take whole seasons to come right again, so what can mr farmer grow for next season in a swamped field?
And this is just one example. So when you see pictures in the media, remember they aren't Just fields with low population per acre etc.
These are the people I feel for. It's not as simple as you shouldn't live on a flood plane a lot of these farms have been there for generations but the subsequent building around the area can have an enormous impact in not only flooding but water run off, pushing the problem further along where there had been no problem previously.
The EA took on responsibility of maintaining the waterways and that is what they are paid to do. They have not done that and that is why they are rightly regarded now as a shower of shoite.
There are many factors that have lead up to and possibly caused/ compounded this problem but if everyone had done as they were supposed to ie dredged rivers etc (as had always been done since domesday erea I may add) instead of listening to the do gooder tree huger lobby in recent years this may not have had been as serious as it's turned out to be.
Right, rant over, off to work it is.
