Local Council warning of impending disaster!

reply to post by AndyMayhew

Yup already checked that on Calderdale's EA map and it shows flooding possible from rivers/canals without defences and light flooding possible from reservoirs via the river Calder

Reckon there are 2 scenarios:- Ison is going to hit and decimate only Yorkshires reservoirs coz its clever like that and then Calderdale Council can claim more grant money or Calderdale are simply using up grant money already received in order to get more come April next year

The 3rd scenario was the one that immediately jumped into my head when I read the letter that there was something more to this seemingly innocent letter with only my best interests and safety in mind, and it was just a warm up warning for some cataclysmic event e.g. Ison or similar....but then again that's what reading too much ATS can do to you!

Fear is something that hits us when informed of possible dangers, so I do understand your initial reaction. However as we process fear, we consider the options that help us make informed decisions.

For years emergency planners were faced with numerous situations never encountered before and therefore reacted without impressive competence, but with the sharing of info age we are in, I applaud them for finally getting ahead of some situations and showing you what your options are as well as spelling out possible dangers. So in your case, mobility and bugging out is to be considered as opposed to bugging in. Your SHTF plans must therefore include a safe place to land.

Once you have thought this through enough to form a good plan for yourself, beginning with the best way to get out of there fast such as being able to rely on a ride out of there with your pets, etc., your fear should be replaced with a healthy respect for the unknown but also armed with more competence in reducing your chances of being a victim. Have you considered buying a scooter?

You could also just ask them why you received the letter in the first place?

It's most likely something totally ridiculous? Last time we got something like that it was because a politician needed to do something proactive in his district….rofl!!!

reply to post by Caver78


Can't get through to the buggers...always answerphone or engaged tone....clearly they expected a deluge (lol) of "what the hell does this mean?" calls!!

reply to post by aboutface


Yup good points if its true that's all it is

Scooter? not a chance in hell...there's enough death on the roads without me adding to it!!

reply to post by phyllida


If you want to know what it is about follow the money. Inevitably you will find some engineering report by some company no one has ever heard of saying a damn is failing etc. Somewhere they is money involved. Either that government, council, whatever, wants money for something or someone is after land and or money repairing this thing.

That letter only the first Salvo. Look for something to follow. It will most likely be about money for someone. Don't be surprised if the next one is about new tax or wanting you to pay lol.

Good luck....

The Bot

reply to post by dlbott


Hmm good point....probably is all about the money

I'll advise if anything futher is received

There is nothing about this on the Calderdale Councils' website either

reply to post by phyllida


I can understand your confusion and concern about the fact that you have recieved this letter now, rather than for any of the rest of the time you have lived in this location.

However, there have been plenty of circumstances, where people were flooded out, without much warning at all, and it has caused people devastating problems. It might be that the letter is precautionary on the part of local government, who may have decided to alert everyone who might conceivably get hit with flood water.

We had a massive downpour a few months back here in Essex, and even with warning, it caused chaos. The flooding did not destroy buildings and carry hundreds of people to their deaths or anything, but it did cause more trouble than any rain we have had around here for a very long time.

If you are near a reservoir, you might have a water table under your home which would respond in an unhelpful fashion, in the event of a serious rain storm, serious enough to over top the reservoir, or tributaries of local rivers. You need to know about this for your own safety, and for insurance purposes as well.

However, you might want to watch out for predatory insurance companies with whom you may have policies, who might decide that your premiums are not high enough, given the fact that you recieved this letter.

I hope that this proves nothing more than an arse covering excersize.

How fascinating.

I'm within 6 miles (as the crow flies) of Scammoden Dam, although I think we would be out of the path of the water if any damage was to occur. (Although being Kirklees Council they probably wouldn't think to warn us if we were).

I can't help but think that this is just extra precaution for a "just in case" event. Well I hope so anyway!

I often walk my dog around Scammoden and the water level has decreased quite significantly over the summer, so hopefully there is a lot of extra room to capacitate of the run off from all of the snow that is supposed to occur
(I hope we don't get three months of it though!)

reply to post by Rooska


Yup I'm far nearer Scammoden than this small Green Withens place at the other side of Wakefield. Now if Scammoden broke I could imagine I would be affected via the River Calder and of course Hebden Bridge would disappear entirely! But still find it odd that after all these years living here I now get this letter. Oh well wait and see I suppose. Good job I live above a shop and have 3 floors to escape to!!

I work in a local borough highways department, and we've recently appointed a 'flooding officer' - the reason for this is that legislation changed recently (2010?) so that local authorities are now responsible for planning to avoid flooding, not the water authority, or EA. So I would guess that it's arse covering so that you can't sue them some time in the future when you're flooded, and claim that no one told you of the risk.

Councils are getting paid money by central govt to do research into where is most likely to flood, and to come up with flood risk strategies, etc, so that they can make decisions about how to reduce the risk of flooding, or warn those who are in most danger. Where I work, we're making use of SuDS (Sustainable urban drainage solutions) - which have two affects, firstly they slow down the water flow, in extreme events, from landing on the surface to getting into the drains, and they also filter any water going into the drains. this means that flash flooding, and surcharging is less likely.

I wouldn't worry about it. They haven't broken since 1920's they're built better now, they're maintained better now, it's probably just precautionary, so that you're aware of what may happen.

(although as a caveat - climate change is happening, and what was once considered a '100 year event' might now only be considered a '50 year event' - or something like this, so in that respect, it's more likely - though the risk is still only marginally more, so still don't worry overly about it - but have a plan just in case. better to have a plan, and not use it than need a plan and not have one)

reply to post by phyllida


One cubic yard of water is equivalent to 1 ton, in other words, a yard wide, a yard tall and a yard deep. That is pretty small when you think about how much it weighs.

Keep in mind you can be swept off your feet in as little as 12 inches of water.

reply to post by CrastneyJPR


Ahhh right well that helps cheers!

phyllida
I've long believed in the "create a climate of fear" scenario so the people will ask for laws/legislation thinking its in their own interests etc but this feels like there's something they just aren't telling me! And I don't like that. Tried ringing the department but its just an answerphone with a recorded message.

If a reservoir has never broken its banks and there's been no loss of life since the 1920's why on earth start the fear mongering now? We've had years of torrential rain where rivers and canals have broken their banks and there's been flooding in low areas, its a regular occurrence in some west yorkshire villages, nothing out of the ordinary, but I've looked all over the net and there is no recorded reservoir breach that I can find for this area or this country even so why go to all the trouble and expense of sending out these letters and printing up these survival leaflets if the odds of it happening are actually so unlikely?

Grrrr I hate not knowing and only being able to assume or presume!

It's probably based on insurance company details. For example, my mother lives on the bank of the very same River Calder in Lower Hopton, Mirfield on the south bank. The insurance company rates her house as a flood risk and yet the north bank of the river is lower. My mothers house has never flooded. Even when half of hopton, hundreds of meters from the river, is under water my mums house is flood free! It's just based on postcodes and not geography!!!!!!!!!!!!!

phyllida
I've long believed in the "create a climate of fear" scenario so the people will ask for laws/legislation thinking its in their own interests etc but this feels like there's something they just aren't telling me! And I don't like that. Tried ringing the department but its just an answerphone with a recorded message.

If a reservoir has never broken its banks and there's been no loss of life since the 1920's why on earth start the fear mongering now? We've had years of torrential rain where rivers and canals have broken their banks and there's been flooding in low areas, its a regular occurrence in some west yorkshire villages, nothing out of the ordinary, but I've looked all over the net and there is no recorded reservoir breach that I can find for this area or this country even so why go to all the trouble and expense of sending out these letters and printing up these survival leaflets if the odds of it happening are actually so unlikely?

Grrrr I hate not knowing and only being able to assume or presume!

Well, one purpose could be to simply frighten people. As already stated, when people become afraid, many will turn to the government for "help". That is a control tactic. Another possibility occurs to me, though. There could be some reason they want people to leave that area, potentially, so they set this up as a method to have people willingly evacuate "for their own safety". Later, they could claim they avoided the "pending disaster", or something. Trust your instincts.