Well here we are marooned in a sea of Caribbean water courtesy of storm Desmond. The River Tweed is currently about half a mile wide and our front door is ten seconds walk from the North Sea – sixteen miles inland. When the Tweed is this high it’s tidal as far as Kelso eight miles west of here.
I estimate there are 250 million litres of flood water between here and Cornhill in Northumberland, or to put it another way 250,000 cubic metres. To put it in context that’s half the amount of water used to flush toilets in the UK everyday. We really do need a better attitude to water. Hope the climate change conference folks are taking note and DOING SOMETHING about it. Step 1. Plant more trees. Keep water in the landscape and ameliorate the effects of extreme weather. Now.
Combat the loss of topsoil. Build drainage systems which separate sewage from rainwater.
We are OK. Our feet are dry and our home is safe (by a metre or two in height). Thoughts go with those who are not so lucky. That’s Rob’s house you can see above. Why do we still build houses on flood plains?
Sunrise over the Inland Sea (thanks Ursula LeGuin for a great title).
Glad you are safe & dry Graham.