River Flooding Case Study and Management

This lesson examines a major UK flood event in detail and then explores the full range of flood management strategies — both hard engineering and soft engineering — available to reduce flood risk. Understanding these strategies and the conflicts they create is essential for the Edexcel B exam.

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UK Flood Case Study: The Somerset Levels, Winter 2013-14

The Somerset Levels in south-west England experienced the most severe and prolonged flooding in living memory during the winter of 2013-14. The floods lasted for over three months, making it one of the most significant flood events in recent UK history.

Background: The Somerset Levels

Feature	Detail
Location	Somerset, south-west England
Landscape	Extremely flat, low-lying land — much of it at or below sea level
Land use	Mainly pastoral farming (cattle grazing); some nature reserves (e.g., RSPB Ham Wall)
Drainage	Relies on a network of artificial drainage channels (called rhynes, drains, and pumping stations) to keep the land dry
Rivers	The River Parrett and River Tone are the main rivers; they are tidal in their lower reaches
Soil	Peat and clay — holds water; slow to drain

Causes of the 2013-14 Floods

Cause	Detail
Extreme rainfall	The winter of 2013-14 was the wettest on record in England. From December to February, some areas received over 400 mm of rain — more than double the average.
Prolonged storms	A succession of Atlantic storms brought 12 major storm events between mid-December and mid-February.
High tides	High tides in the Bristol Channel prevented the rivers from draining to the sea, causing water to back up.
Flat, low-lying land	Water could not drain naturally — it pooled on the flat, low-lying terrain.
Clay and peat soils	These soils became quickly saturated and could not absorb further rainfall.
Lack of river dredging	The Environment Agency had reduced dredging of the River Parrett and River Tone since the mid-1990s, allowing sediment to build up and reducing channel capacity. This became a major political controversy.
Existing drainage infrastructure	Pumping stations and drainage channels could not cope with the sheer volume of water.

Effects of the Floods

Category	Effects
Social	Over 600 homes flooded; some people displaced for over a year. Villages including Muchelney and Thorney were cut off for weeks — accessible only by boat. Mental health impacts: anxiety, depression, community stress. Schools closed.
Economic	Approximately 17,000 hectares of farmland flooded. Livestock had to be evacuated. Estimated agricultural losses of over £10 million. Damage to roads and infrastructure — the A361 was closed for weeks. Total estimated cost: £100-150 million. Business disruption in local towns.
Environmental	Pollution from sewage, agricultural chemicals, and oil spread across the floodplain. Some wildlife habitats damaged. However, the floods also created temporary wetland habitats that benefited bird populations. Fertile silt deposited on farmland.

Exam Tip: The Somerset Levels case study is powerful because it combines physical causes (extreme rainfall, flat land, clay soils) with human factors (lack of dredging, drainage infrastructure, land management decisions). In your exam answer, make sure you discuss both types of cause to show balanced understanding.

The Dredging Controversy

The floods sparked a fierce public debate about river dredging:

Viewpoint	Argument
In favour of dredging	Dredging the Rivers Parrett and Tone would increase their capacity, allowing them to carry more water. Local farmers and residents blamed the Environment Agency for stopping dredging.
Against dredging	The Environment Agency argued that dredging has limited effectiveness in such extreme events, is expensive (ongoing cost), and can damage riverbank habitats. Dredging was eventually carried out in 2014 (8 km of river dredged at a cost of £6 million), but experts debated whether it would have prevented the flooding.

Response to the Floods

• The Somerset Levels and Moors Flood Action Plan (2014) was created, committing £100 million to improved flood management.
• 8 km of the Rivers Parrett and Tone were dredged.
• A tidal barrier on the River Parrett at Bridgwater was planned (completed 2024).
• Pumping capacity was increased.
• Road levels were raised.
• Upstream storage areas were created.

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Flood Management Strategies

Flood management strategies are divided into hard engineering (structural, built solutions) and soft engineering (working with natural processes).

Hard Engineering Strategies