Sat, Oct 10, 2026
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Flooding and Flood Defence

Lord Chris Smith, chairman of the Environment Agency says that the UK now faces difficult choices on flood defence investment.

Early statistics published by the Met Office for January 2014 show that the southeast and central southern England region has already had its wettest January in records going back to 1910, with three days still to go.

National Grid’s latest Interim Management Statement published today says that its recent investment in flood defences in the UK has minimised the impact of recent bad weather - once again highlighting the need for the UK to protect its critical national infrastructure.

Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons yesterday that the Environment Agency will begin dredging the rivers in the Somerset Levels which continues to be badly affected by flooding "as soon as it is practical."

The Environment Agency is taking further steps to defend its response to flooding in the Somerset Levels – including an appearance by Agency Chairman Lord Chris Smith on the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme this morning.

The largest pumping operation ever undertaken in Somerset  is continuing as the Somerset Levels experience the highest level of flooding for almost two decades.

Somerset County Council has this afternoon called a major incident for the whole of Somerset in the light of ongoing flood risk for the region.

Thames Water is warning that rising groundwater continues to present a risk of flooding in hotspots across the Thames Valley.

The RSPB and the Somerset Wildlife Trust are calling on MPs and others to press government and its agencies to develop a water management strategy for a more flood-resilient future on the Somerset Levels that benefits both people and wildlife. However, the charities have also expressed concern over calls for dredging to address the issue.

Welsh Government Minister for Natural Resources and Food, Alun Davies has announced an additional £2m to fund emergency repairs to flood defences that were damaged in the recent storms.

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