Flooding in Gilberdyke
The recent rainfall has caused numerous problems for Howdenshire residents from, Aughton in the North, through Holme on Spalding Moor, Bubwith and Wressle to Gilberdyke, North Cave and Blacktoft in the South.
Curiously the River Ouse was not particularly high at noon today (26th June) and one of the large commissioner dykes was not flowing particularly fast at the river end, but at the other end of these dykes many parts of Gilberdyke are under anything up to 300mm of surface water. I remember when growing up in the area the dykes were regularly cleaned each spring by the local farmers, my grandfather was fond of the saying ‘February fill dyke, March muck ‘em out’. But where are those dykes now? Developers or residents have filled in many, and of those that do remain they are seldom ‘mucked out’. So perhaps we should heed the warnings of the past two days, and have the original dykes reopened and those dykes that still remain ‘mucked out’
To compound the situation of this surface water has also been contaminated with sewage, as the Yorkshire Water sewage pumping station does not appear able to cope with the extra loading resulting from surface water entering the system.
I seem to recall residents of Gilberdyke being told by Yorkshire Water that the system could cope with the present demand, also for increased housing and to still have slack in the system - based on the evidence of yesterday and today, perhaps the Company would like to reconsider?
3 comments:
Interesting point Paul, I also recall Yorkshire Water saying the new system could cope with surface water in Gilberdyke. Why don't Yorkshire Water ever comment when planning applications are submitted? Want to go there Paul?
Good question... I have asked this myself many times and have yet to receive an answer that I'm 100% happy with. Certainly in Gilberdyke I've never been convinced that the quantity of surface water entering the system is ever factored into the equation on which Yorkshire Water base their comments.
From Paul Thompson (Main Road)
I sent this to the Environmental Agency - I'm sure it's a wider issue than just main road.
For the attention of Sue O’Neil.
Ridings Area Flood Defence Manager.
Cc Tony Grice (Area Environmental Manager East)
Dear Sirs.
I realise your offices must be rushed off your feet at the moment, however we seek your advise or intervention.
During the severe weather on 25th/26th June 2007 about 6 original village houses in Gilberdyke were severely affected by rising waters on the Main Road (B1230) near to the BT telephone exchange. The main reason for the rising waters was due to the low to nil maintenance of the Dykes on the adjoining farm land. We discovered that the main covered pipe that the open Dykes lead into (traversing the farmland) was not flowing into the main Dyke leading into the Humber/Ouse. Due to this blockage the rising water levels from the open Dyke and fields then flooded into the back gardens etc and a few houses were flooded from the back as well as the front of the properties.
The local Farmer did supply a high powered Honda pump which kept the Dyke manageable during the night. Then on Tuesday 26th June he worked all day re-routing the Dyke into the main Southerly Dyke which drains into the river. However, this surely is a temporary fix and the main pipes and Dykes must be regularly maintained.
In addition to this we regularly get blockages to the sewage due to the heavy work load of the system with the advent of new housing estates being built but the system not being modernised to cope with the increase in population.
My question is how do we get the local farm land (and sewage) system to be properly maintained particularly the Dykes so that the risk to flooding of this nature is reduced.
We would really appreciate your help and would welcome a visit from you to see the problem first hand.
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