A nice sunny day for a walk in the centre of York. My plan was to have a look for the two Ghosts in the Gardens that we have not yet found, and also to have a quick look at the riverside floods. No success finding the ghosts, but the wider than usual river and the riverside buildings looked lovely in the early afternoon sunshine.
For some of you this will be a familiar view, since I have posted simular views before. For Yorkshire residents it may also be familiar from TV, since this is the traditional viewpoint for local news reports of floods in York.
The river Ouse is currently about 3.5 metres above its normal level, so primarily affects riverside footpaths, and a small number of properties. Most if not all of the properties affected will have had flood resiliance modifications to enable a rapid return to normal once the flood subsides.
For example the Kings Arms pub (with white upper floor) has its cellar for storing its ales on the first floor, above the highest flood level ever recorded here. The ground floor, where the bar is, has stone walls and stone flags on the floor, so when the flood receeds a hose to remove any silt, and a liberal application of disinfectant quickly had the bar open again. I have seen the bar serving again before the water has fully receeded into the river channel.
So nothing new or unusual about flooding in Kings Staith. This is the second flood here in a month.
Business as usualā¦ Tildi was a bit upset because āsomeoneā had spilled lots of water so she couldnāt go through Danesmeade wood - her favourite way home.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
The river level in York has dropped by around 0.25 metre (almost 1 foot) since yesterday and is forecast to continue to drop quite quickly.
York is quite fortunate that it has good flood defences compared with many other places in the UK, but of course there is always more that could be done. The character of this area of the riverside would be dramatically changed by conventional flood defences, hence the current reliance on flood resiliance measures.
@fishers I found it odd that a concrete flood barrier was built on a centuries old flood plain. Sadly not just York and straightening rivers and building on flood plains doesnāt help
There was a scheme proposed a few years ago to create an artificial waterway to bypass York, and I think Selby as well, but I suspect that has probably been put on a shelf somewhere to collect dust!
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
The river level in York has dropped by around 0.25 metre (almost 1 foot) since yesterday and is forecast to continue to drop quite quickly.
York is quite fortunate that it has good flood defences compared with many other places in the UK, but of course there is always more that could be done. The character of this area of the riverside would be dramatically changed by conventional flood defences, hence the current reliance on flood resiliance measures.
Ian
There was a scheme proposed a few years ago to create an artificial waterway to bypass York, and I think Selby as well, but I suspect that has probably been put on a shelf somewhere to collect dust!
Ian
Thank you Wylie, sadly floods are one of the hazards of living and working so close to the river in this part of York.
Ian