On thursday 19th November, the rivers Cocker and Derwent , which join in Cockermouth, rose to a level that flooded much of central Cockermouth, leaving huge amounts of destruction, and most of the shops, restaurants and pubs in the town completely wrecked. ... At midday the river was high, but the Main Street was dry.
What were the effects of the Cockermouth flood?
Rivers were significantly altered with increased rates of erosion . Four bridges were destroyed and 25 were closed for over six weeks due to the damage. This caused traffic problems in the town.
What caused the flooding in Cockermouth?
Physical causes
The warm air from the mid-Atlantic caused relief rainfall over the Cumbrian Mountains. The warmer the air, the more moisture it holds. ... The falling rain poured into the River Derwent and River Cocker. The two rivers confluence at Cockermouth, which led to significant flooding.
How many times has Cockermouth flooded?
Cockermouth is highly prone to flooding with 15 flood events recorded since detailed records began in 1761. The town, at the confluence of the Rivers Cocker and Derwent, is prone to flooding due to the natural topography of the area. Flooding occurred most recently in 2005, 2008 and 2009.
What caused the Cumbria floods 2015?
The warm air from the mid-Atlantic caused relief rainfall over the Cumbrian Mountains. The warmer the air, the more moisture it holds. ... The falling rain poured into the River Derwent and River Cocker. Cockermouth is located at the rivers’ confluence and as a result, led to significant flooding.
How has Banbury been affected by flooding?
Banbury has suffered persistent damage from flooding due to the incapacity of the River Cherwell to convey excess surface run- off . ... The Environment Agency’s design concept proposed that flow control structures should throttle the river flows to 38m3/s and impound the additional floodwater in the reservoir.
What are flood Defences?
Flood defences are systems put in place to reduce, or ideally prevent, damage by flood water . Flood defences are by no means a new concept. ... Firstly, they are available for different hazards; river, surface water flooding or coastal storm surge.
How much rainfall fell in 24 hours which led to the Cumbrian floods?
In December 2015, Storm Desmond set a new record, with 341.4 millimetres of rain falling over a 24-hour period. This led to the flooding of Cumbria and in particular, the town of Cockermouth – despite the construction of a self-closing flood barrier in 2013.
How did people respond storm Desmond?
Several teams of Royal Engineers were deployed to help in the emergency response and recovery after the floods in Cumbria and Lancashire. ... £400,000 was donated within 48 hours by the public after a £1m appeal was launched to help people affected by flooding caused by Storm Desmond.
What percentage of businesses were flooded in the Cockermouth floods in 2009?
33% of businesses owned their business premises, 35% were in leased business premises, and 23% were in rented premises, while 6% worked from home. Types of the businesses represented in the survey. 75% of businesses surveyed were flooded in the 2009 November flood event.
What’s Cockermouth famous for?
Cockermouth is famous for its association with various historical people – notably the poet William Wordsworth and the mutineer Fletcher Christian , both of whom were born in or near the town.
What flood Defences were built in Cockermouth?
The Gote Brow factory, which this weekend celebrated 50 years of manufacturing in Cockermouth, was badly flooded in 2009 and 2015. The new defences include floods walls, gates, two pumping stations and swales . Cumbria LEP invested £2.6m in the project, called Project Ark. Story Contracting was the primary contractor.
Was Cockermouth flooded?
The town was one of the worst flood-hit areas in the county with an estimated 900 properties and 1,400 people affected. It was the third time the area had flooded in four years and a community group set up after floods in 2005 decided it was time to take action.
What year did Cockermouth flood?
On the afternoon of November 19 2009 both the Rivers Derwent and Cocker swept through thousands of homes and businesses in the town centre of Cockermouth.
What were the main physical and human causes of the flood?
Deforestation . Vegetation , including trees, intercept rainfall, slowing its movement. ... When vegetation is removed, infiltration and interception reduce and surface run-off increases. This leads to a greater risk of flooding as more water reaches the river channel.
What were the impacts of the Cumbria floods?
In 2015, more than 50,000 homes in Cumbria were flooded or had severe impacts from flooding. While the loss of life was relatively small, the damage to local people is still being felt in many areas. Similarly, floods in 2009 left thousands of people displaced from their homes, which took years to be resolved.
