Title: Coastal flooding in the North West
Author: Environment Agency
Document Type: Monograph
Abstract:
Today the threat of coastal flooding is a constant reminder of the vulnerable nature of large areas of North West England. Huge areas of agricultural land, isolated properties, commercial and residential properties in rural and urban areas are at risk. All of them rely on an extensive network of flood defences principally maintained by either the Environment Agency or local authorities. Twenty years ago during November 1977, the whole of the Lancashire and Cumbria coastline was affected by extremely high and rough sea conditions, with a massive surge of water along the North West coast. In addition to the surge, high winds generated waves that became increasingly severe as the tide rose. The Institute of Oceanographic Sciences has since indicated that the tide levels experienced in the North West on 11 November 1977 exceeded the 1 in 100 year tide level. Not surprisingly damage was caused to sea defences in the area, which the previous year had successfully withstood 1 in 50 year tide levels. Before this flood the only records of conditions approaching a similar scale of devastation are from 1898, 1907 and 1927.
Publisher: Environment Agency
Publication Date: 1997
Publication Place: Warrington
Subject Keywords: Flooding; History; Coasts; Tides; Flood control
Geographic Keywords: Lancashire; Cumbria
Extent: n.p. [4]
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:521
Total file downloads: 332
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