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Floods strategy to be developed 'Nature's way' for flood defence
(about 2 hours later)
Some areas in Wales may be flooded in order to protect threatened communities, a BBC investigation has discovered. Flood damage in Wales costs an average of £70m a year and spending on defences has doubled in the last eight years.
Environment Minister Jane Davidson has ordered a fresh look at Wales' policy in the wake of flooding this summer. But now the Welsh Assembly Government is working on a new strategy which involves working with nature rather than against it.
Sea levels will rise by a metre in the next century and there will be a 20% rise in flooding risk, she said. This may involve some areas being flooded in order to protect other communities.
One solution would be to use playing fields as storage ponds but farming unions say this would need planning. Environment Minister Jane Davidson has ordered a fresh look at policy in the wake of flooding this summer.
Ms Davidson has ordered a three year programme to refresh flooding policy with the aim of developing a strategy which involves "working with nature, rather than against it". She has ordered a three-year programme to refresh flooding policy, with the aim of developing a new strategy which involves "working with nature, rather than against it".
"When we see over the last few years that we're already seeing small increases in flooding risk - every single one of those is a devastation for the community and individual involved," Ms Davidson told Eye on Wales. "The trigger for it was having the latest evidence which suggests that within the next 100 years sea levels will rise by 1 metre and there will be a 20% increase in flooding risk," she tells BBC Wales' Eye on Wales programme.
She said currently floods are generally dealt with by defence systems in certain parts of Wales. She said that one solution would be to look to countries like Malaysia as an example and use playing fields as storage ponds in the event of flooding.
"When we see over the last few years that we're already seeing small increases in flooding risk - every single one of those is a devastation for the community and individual involved," she added.
Temporary flood storage has obvious potential, but this needs to be planned - and quite honestly, well reward Dafydd Jarrett, NFU CymruTemporary flood storage has obvious potential, but this needs to be planned - and quite honestly, well reward Dafydd Jarrett, NFU Cymru
But she warned: "If we're going to have the kind of sea-level rise that is predicted, we will not be able to build walls high enough to tackle those issues effectively.But she warned: "If we're going to have the kind of sea-level rise that is predicted, we will not be able to build walls high enough to tackle those issues effectively.
"So what we have to do is use the land to our advantage. And it might mean sometimes that we have to allow some areas to flood in order to ensure that bigger communities further down a river don't flood.""So what we have to do is use the land to our advantage. And it might mean sometimes that we have to allow some areas to flood in order to ensure that bigger communities further down a river don't flood."
Roger Falconer, professor of water management at Cardiff University, said Wales has much to learn in the area of flood risk management.Roger Falconer, professor of water management at Cardiff University, said Wales has much to learn in the area of flood risk management.
He said Wales could look to the example of tropical countries like Malaysia where massive, localised storms are common and they have been managing floods for decades, if not centuries.He said Wales could look to the example of tropical countries like Malaysia where massive, localised storms are common and they have been managing floods for decades, if not centuries.
Prof Falconer said: "They have large areas of playing fields, for example, which are converted into storage ponds so that when the flood comes the water goes into the storage pond."Prof Falconer said: "They have large areas of playing fields, for example, which are converted into storage ponds so that when the flood comes the water goes into the storage pond."
He said the sample principle could be adapted in Wales.He said the sample principle could be adapted in Wales.
'Solution''Solution'
"If you look at the playing fields along the Taff in Cardiff, we could actually create embankments around those at a relatively low cost to turn those into flood management facilities and absorb quite a lot of the flow coming down the river. "If you look at the playing fields along the Taff in Cardiff, we could actually create embankments around those at a relatively low cost to turn those into flood management facilities and absorb quite a lot of the flow coming down the river."
"And you can go all along the river, the Taff or any other river, and you can design stilling ponds to hold back some of the flow." However, Dafydd Jarrett, a policy advisor for the National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru, said the prospect of a move towards flood risk management could be of concern.
However, Dafydd Jarrett, a policy advisor for the National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru, said the prospect of a move towards flood risk management could be a concern for his members.
"We fully realise the problems flooding causes everybody, the misery that brings, and we want to be part of any solution," he said.
"Temporary flood storage has obvious potential, but this needs to be planned - and quite honestly, well reward.
"A lot of our best farm land adjoins rivers and is an essential part of many of our members' business."
Eye on Wales is broadcast at 1830 BST on Monday on BBC Radio WalesEye on Wales is broadcast at 1830 BST on Monday on BBC Radio Wales