Flooding - Carlisle Case Study

8th January 2005

• River Eden
• Flood return interval (RI) = 200 years

Physical

• Heavy rainfall for 36 hours - 200mm
• Saturated ground
• Large drainage basin - steep sides, many streams
• High peak discharge

Human

• Urbanisation - impermeable concrete and tarmac, little vegetation
• Drains and sewerage systems overflowed - 25% of flooding problems were associated with the overflowing drains

Social

• 3 people died
• 3000+ homeless, thousands of personal possesssions were damaged
• Children lost out on education - 4 schools severely flooded
• Increase in stress-related illnesses

Environmental

• Increased river bank erosion
• River's polluted w/rubbish and sewage

• Damages to over a year and cost £100+ million
• 350 businesses had to shut down
• No electricity, telephone service or transport - trade activities from railway station suspended
• United Biscuits, largest employer in Carlisle, flooded with 3m of water that caused £5+ million damage - 33 out of 1100 employees lost jobs
• 70 000 addresses had no power
• Sewage works, police station, fire station and council offices severely flooded
• 80 buses destroyed
• Many roads and bridges damaged