Not Just a Natural Disaster: Most Floods Can Be Prevented
Floods are now the most common natural disaster on earth. Just 1 inch of water flooding homes can destroy them, and councils then have to pay to people in temporary accommodation, as flooded homes are damp and can carry dangerous bacteria (in the USA, people even have to check for snakes before returning).
Did you know that tulips (like all bulbs) are toxic to pets?
England (and the world) is now suffering more floods, due to freak weather caused by climate change. But mostly due to trees being chopped down (trees absorb phenomenal amounts of water). Another big issue is hunting (the industry flattens peat bogs, and peat again absorbs water, as well as housing important habitats for rare plants and wildlife).
The Met Office offers flood warnings. Create a simple plan (tinned food, bottled water, pet blankets and crates) and if caught, move to the highest place you can find).
Never touch electrics (only return to homes, once allowed). Drinking water, washing hands, cooking or brushing teeth could make you sick.
How The Netherlands copes with floods
The Netherlands sits below sea level, surrounded by rivers and the North Sea. In 1953, a flood that covered almost 10% of farmland led to 2000 people dying, and since then, Dutch towns made big changes, so hardly anywhere floods.
How? An unbroken chain of dikes (formations to hold back water), sluices, (sliding gates to control water), canals and pumps. Giant sea gates in Holland close, at even the whisper of a storm. Polders Polders (neat squares of reclaimed land) stay dry, thanks to tireless pumps. With daily maintenance.
Although sandbags can hold back water (or redirect it around vulnerable places), there are better inventions to use alongside:
- Floodsax inflate in 5 minutes, when filled with water. The semi-porous inner lining contains a gel that absorbs water to become taut, and moulds into doors to keep water out.
- ClimaGuard can be placed over cars, furniture or even golf clubs. Easy to use by one person, the Anchor Straps secure vehicles, to them floating away.
- Water-Gate Anti-Flood Barrier is powered by water pressure, requires little time and no tools or electricity. In just minutes, unroll and unfold the front flap to see the ballast (speed or direction of water does not matter).
How deforestation lets water run wild
When forests are chopped down, it causes floods, as bare soil does not hold water well. Rain that once soaked into the ground, then races across the ground and gathers speed, turning tiny streams into dangerous currents.
Old-growth forests are being destroyed worldwide to make everything from toilet paper to replace them with cheap palm oil plantations. Always choose zero waste alternatives, to help stop this happening.
Peat Bogs and wetlands (nature’s sponges)
- Bogs and marshes can hold staggering amounts of water. Restoring wetlands by flooding drained meadows is key.
- Another idea used in Portland (Oregon) is to plant bioswales (long shallow trenches filled with plants). So instead of flooded gutters, heavy rain is absorbed by plants, then drains safely into rivers and seas, to prevent floods.
- Bioswales only work with correct slopes (they also don’t work well for high-clay soils). As they are in public places, choose pet-safe plants.
- Green roofs are lined with sedum and other plants, again to catch rain, which is then absorbed or filtered away down drains. Manchester’s Unicorn Grocery has planted a green roof that helps reduce floods, and also supports habitat of black redstart birds.
- Avoid buying peat compost. This is home to many endangered plants and wildlife, and when removed causes floods. Make your own compost or buy peat-free versions.
Keep fresh compost away from pets, due to containing mould. Some mulches (like cocoa, pine and rubber) are unsafe near animals. Read our post on pet-friendly gardens.
Also read about wild beavers (nature’s flood-reducing architects!)
How pheasant shoots can cause floods
The other issue is the grouse-hunting industry. Heather moorlands (peatland) is burned each year, to encourage the growth of tender heather shoots, that red grouse feed on. This removes older heather, which benefits grouse populations, so more can be shot for ‘sport’.
Portland’s Bioswales (why are we not following them?
Portland is a city near the Canadian border, in northwest USA. It’s about the same size and population as Sheffield, but it has way more parks (one for every day of the year) and is known as one of the greenest cities in the United States.
You can find everything from organic supermarkets and vegan food malls to cloth nappy laundries. It also runs Trimet, one of the world’s best public transit systems, linking buses, trams and trains both within and out of the city.
What Portland is most known for however, is its bioswales. If you’ve never heard of these, prepare to be amazed and also confused, as to why English councils are not using them here. In a nutshell, they involve planting native grasses alongside pavements to absorb rain (Portland like England, gets regular downpours).
If planting green spaces, read about pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens. And trees to avoid near horses (including yew, oak and sycamore).
Planting bioswales not only absorbs pollutants, but crucially it prevents floods. At a time when England (and many other places) are suffering from major floods (now the world’s most common natural disaster), often the answer is easy: just plant more trees and bioswales in urban areas, and these heroic plants soak up the water, and it then prevents overflowing gutters and ultimately burst river banks.
Planting bioswales also has the added benefit of absorbing carbon dioxide, which helps to reduce urban heat island effect (where the temperature and pavement heats up). This has a knock-on health effect of helping to prevent heatstroke in both people and pets, and keeps birds and wildlife cooler in summer.
Bioswales keep streets and rivers cleaner
Bioswales slow down stormwater, so the ground absorbs it before it rushes down drains. This means it filters dirty water before it ends up in rivers, to cut pollution during heavy rainfall.
This also means less stress on old pipes, and less risk of flooding downstream. It also creates a prettier city with native plants, which also helps local birds and insects (which birds need for food).
Why aren’t English councils planting bioswales?
Who knows? Lack of vision, not reading enough books on good town planning? Apparently a few councils (London, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire) are exploring options. But considering that Portland has been planting bioswales for decades, it beggars belief why all our councils are not following suit. It’s such a no-brainer and would also be affordable, quick and create skilled jobs.
And before councils say ‘we don’t have any money to maintain them’, know that Portland local government has volunteer Green Stewards. Once the bioswales have been planted, they take responsibility for most jobs (not official pruning) like picking up litter, removing sediment and leaves (to help water flow and prevent sewage overflow) and watering plants in summer.
