GinAndPlatonic Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Don't quite get this naming sea level flats moorland. To me moorland is something covered in bracken at above 1000 feet altitude and evoking Wuthering Heights. Oh Heathcliff........... "People have been draining the area since before the Domesday Book. In the Middle Ages, the monasteries of Glastonbury, Athelney and Muchelney were responsible for much of the drainage"... Nature is just trying to have it`s own way. It might succeed.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlu Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 (edited) Oh Heathcliff........... "People have been draining the area since before the Domesday Book. In the Middle Ages, the monasteries of Glastonbury, Athelney and Muchelney were responsible for much of the drainage"... Nature is just trying to have it`s own way. It might succeed.. Didn't King Alfred hide out in marshes in north Dorset/Devon that's all basically farmland now? (correction - Somerset - tnx GandP) Edited February 8, 2014 by tomandlu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinAndPlatonic Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Didn't King Alfred hide out in marshes in north Dorset/Devon that's all basically farmland now? You`re dead right. The Isle of Athelney is best known for once being the fortress hiding place of King Alfred the Great, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athelney I notice the area is even called an Isle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 good for him. makes a change from the thousands moaning 'cant the government do something' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scunnered Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Don't quite get this naming sea level flats moorland. To me moorland is something covered in bracken at above 1000 feet altitude and evoking Wuthering Heights. Other way round ... moor (n.) "waste ground," Old English mor "morass, swamp," from Proto-Germanic *mora- (cf. Old Saxon, Middle Dutch, Dutch meer "swamp," Old High German muor "swamp," also "sea," German Moor "moor," Old Norse mörr "moorland," marr "sea"), perhaps related to mere (n.), or from root *mer- "to die," hence "dead land." The basic sense in place names is 'marsh', a kind of low-lying wetland possibly regarded as less fertile than mersc 'marsh.' The development of the senses 'dry heathland, barren upland' is not fully accounted for but may be due to the idea of infertility. [Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names] http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=moor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowflux Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Other way round ... http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=moor Yes, it's a false friend for translators and often wrongly translated. The word "Moor" exists in German too, but has kept its original meaning of marsh/bog/fenland, whereas "moor" in English usually refers to uncultivated upland areas. In place names, though, like Moorland in Somerset, it often has its original meaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 (edited) Reminds me the Star Trek TNG episode - The Survivors, where their house & garden is only living thing left on the planet The house owner was heard to say " who are you calling a Canute !" Edited February 8, 2014 by Saving For a Space Ship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ah-so Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) I read today that the original application was for a three foot raised platform. For aesthetic reasons the planner said no, spoil the view for the Moorland folk. What a *****. If you are building houses in areas prone flooding it is absurd to build at ground level. We need to start building on mounds or build higher and put the front door 6 foot up a flight of stairs. Edit. I see that the traditional spelling of the Anglo-Saxon king is no longer allowed on Internet forums. Edited February 9, 2014 by Ah-so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120716.aspx Some of the points aren't working... Have they washed away? http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120716.aspx?stationId=3061 The river level at Northmoor PS is 4.74 metres. This measurement was recorded at 10:00 on 09/02/2014. The typical river level range for this location is between 3.10 metres and 3.40 metres. The highest river level recorded at this location is 4.99 metres and the river level reached 4.99 metres on 01/12/2012. Edited February 9, 2014 by SarahBell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I read today that the original application was for a three foot raised platform. For aesthetic reasons the planner said no, spoil the view for the Moorland folk. sickening if true. Certainly sounds like UK planners when in the se usa i noticed houses rightt on the coast had no ground floor to protect from flooding, its just a parking void Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 sickening if true. Certainly sounds like UK planners when in the se usa i noticed houses rightt on the coast had no ground floor to protect from flooding, its just a parking void Maybe the ground floor is a fake floor anyway - perhaps the house is only on the upper two levels! Clearly the chap planned ahead during the planning application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Good for him. Seems like a plucky lad. Wait for Cameron to hold another Cobra meeting to talk about doing something or get some JCBs in and do it yourself. Shame more people aren't like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Some interesting stuff in today's Observer about the levels how farmers used to clear and dredge 11 miles each but increasing bureaucracy and rule changes meant they stopped plus with other changes to the landscape loss of willow trees stripping of peat, it's been an accident waiting to happen for a while The Environment Agency has created a £31m bird sanctuary on the Steart peninsula, but can't find a few million to dredge rivers, remove silt and improve river capacity. Farmers wouldn't mind doing the job themselves, but then they discover that the silt is now classed as a controlled waste requiring removal to a licensed tip. They can't simply dump it on farmland to the side, a practice that for centuries has produced, when combined with the natural peat, an incredibly rich soil. Not only that, they would be asked to take oxygen readings of the water. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/09/somerset-floods-people-feel-abandoned?guni=Keyword:news-grid%20main-1%20Main%20trailblock:Editable%20trailblock%20-%20news:Position2:sublinks Edited February 9, 2014 by aSecureTenant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 In hindsight, if he had put in planning for either a clay type / reinforced mound or raised footings, and it was refused, then he should have walked away...He's now got to face that his house is probably worth the value of it in rubble... This lady in Stoke St Gregory has managed to keep her mound for the last twenty years...different council though, Taunton Deane... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2535304/UK-weather-Remote-Somerset-property-island-flood-water.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Goldfish Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Good for him. Seems like a plucky lad. Wait for Cameron to hold another Cobra meeting to talk about doing something or get some JCBs in and do it yourself. Shame more people aren't like him. We've had the regular army. Then the marines. He's sending in the SAS next! That'll make it sound like he's taking action. (Or maybe the SBS) Edited February 9, 2014 by oldsport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 This lady in Stoke St Gregory has managed to keep her mound for the last twenty years...different council though, Taunton Deane... http://www.dailymail...lood-water.html The Triffids will get her in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUBanana Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I'm waiting for it all to die down and the eagerness to dredge to wilt in the cold light of day. Basically - rather than the knee jerk spouting of politicians of "we must dredge" like these kind people demand, becomes a tussle between town and country, between protecting fewer people on lower value acres and more numerous, more valuable towns that would potentially be affected by greater risk of flooding if water isn't held up further upstream by 'swamps', marshes and forests. The more considered approach of the doers rather than the expensive and wasteful knee jerks of politicos. In Somerset? I think the only town of any size near there which might flood is Bridgwater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBlueCat Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Appears the water is coming up out of the ground onto the island anyway, so could be fighting a losing battle. There was an elderly lady whose house was flooded in Kent on the news last night. She said to the reporter, what do you expect the Environment Agency to do, we've had unprecedented rain and it is coming up out of the ground. Tend to agree, they can't work miracles. Meanwhile half a million homes have been saved by recent flood protection measures. I don't understand why they've stopped dredging the rivers around Somerset though, that makes no obvious sense to me. Any engineers on here who know the answer to that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Monk Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I don't understand why they've stopped dredging the rivers around Somerset though, that makes no obvious sense to me. Any engineers accountants on here who know the answer to that? Fixed that for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) I don't understand why they've stopped dredging the rivers around Somerset though, that makes no obvious sense to me. Any engineers on here who know the answer to that? See my post and link above to the Guardian. Farmers used to do the dredging, and were happy to do it as the sludge made excellent growing stuff, combined with the peat. However the environment agency regards it as toxic waste and should be more properly disposed off and anyway dredging harms the wild life (apparently). Quite complex matters, basically the economics have changed, willows have gone, and the only ones left are hard working homeowners sitting in expensive houses, in the middle of a soggy bog screaming "please will the State DOOO something." Edited February 9, 2014 by aSecureTenant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Brilliant Photoshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Some interesting stuff in today's Observer about the levels how farmers used to clear and dredge 11 miles each but increasing bureaucracy and rule changes meant they stopped plus with other changes to the landscape loss of willow trees stripping of peat, it's been an accident waiting to happen for a while http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/09/somerset-floods-people-feel-abandoned?guni=Keyword:news-grid%20main-1%20Main%20trailblock:Editable%20trailblock%20-%20news:Position2:sublinks An interesting article, certainly highlights the complex issues Problem is, it doesn't actually offer solutions, and therein lies the real issue of environmental management Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Goldfish Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Getting worse, according to the Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10627555/Floods-breach-island-fortress-in-Somerset.html Edited February 9, 2014 by oldsport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Goldfish Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) I'm expecting we'll see a lot of news articles saying this bad weather is proof of AGW. Love this Armstrong and Miller sketch about the difference between weather and climate (although it's coming from the other point of view). Edited February 9, 2014 by oldsport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBlueCat Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I'm expecting we'll see a lot of news articles saying this bad weather is proof of AGW. Love this Armstrong and Miller sketch about the difference between weather and climate (although it's coming from the other point of view). AGW may or may not be real (I'm inclined to think it is but a lot of science does seem very weak all the same) but I can't see how it's behind this problem. It feels more like a bunch of green zealots arranging things so that processes that used to work to keep Somerset dryish are longer affordable and that then allows them to claim some kind vindication. Mind you, they seem to be quite happy to spunk 30M on a bird sanctuary, so I don't see why dredging is out of the question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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