Cost versus Benefit

The following headlines and statements show some of the many feelings and issues linked with flooding and it’s prevention. Some of the statement you may not agree with but remember that some people may have a vested interest possibly involving the loss or gain of money.

You can't control nature. If you stop flooding at one spot, water will always spread somewhere else.
Flood barriers do work, but they can cost millions of pounds.
It is only cost effective to protect large groups of properties, individual properties will just have to do what they can to prevent damage.
If councils or developers own land on a flood plain they will try to make money by building houses or other devlopments there.
The priority is to protect lives in a flood, property can be rebuilt.
Costly flood prevention schemes only seem to be built where there are commercial shops and offices.
Insurance companies are reluctante to insure properties that may flood.

For every flood problem there seems to be no simple answer. This is particularly true where money is concerned. It is often a question of who pays, how much and when. One solution seems to do nothing.

Developments may be on hold for as long as 40 years and still get no further. As far as who pays, does the Government spend vast sums on flood prevention instead of on hospitals, policing, roads or raising senior citizens pensions? If local people contribute to a local flood prevention scheme will they be happy to pay out more on local taxes? What if large amounts of money are spent on flood prevention schemes and they are not very efficient, or simply just don’t work?

The simplified list below gives some of the flood prevention options. Some will involve high-tech computer modelling and design others will use basic technology.

SANDBAGS
STONE CAGES (gabions)
EARTH BANKS
REINFORCED CONCRETE BARRIERS
INFLATABLE BOOMS TO DIVERT WATER
INFLATABLE PANELS (to be used across doorways)
REMOVABLE PANELS BETWEEN RAILINGS / OR IN DOORWAYS (special waterproof seals used)
DREDGE THE RIVER TO MAKE IT DEEPER (allows more water to flow in it in floods)
BUILD LARGE CATCHMENT STORAGE LAKES (these take excess flood water first)
FIT NEW SEALED STORM DRAIN COVERS (so flood water will not flow out of the drains)
PUMPING SYSTEMS TO MOVE WATER TO SAFER AREAS
BARRIER DAMS CONSTRUCTED ACROSS THE RIVER (to hold back water and to control therate of discharge flow)
MOVE HOUSE

Task

Complete one or more of these activities:

1. Using the internet and local newspaper articles find out more examples of the views and feelings of people who have experienced the problems of serious flooding, or have been involved in trying to prevent flooding. These people could be regarded as stakeholders as flooding can at times influence their lives.

2. Participate in a class or group discussion based on the statements

“There will always be flooding somewhere along the Severn, the question is who pays for the damage ?
“Is flood prevention worth cost effective?”
“Why should some places have flood protection and others not?”

3. Write your own newspaper article based on the statements above. It would be important to state the views of different stakeholders.

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