I see the investigation into the flooding is starting. The plan for Grand Vaux for 2018 was not updated. The last Island strategic flood risk plan of 2021 looked at the effect of climate change for coastal regions rather than inland, and stated that flooding at Grand Vaux was a once in a hundred years event - despite the fact there was flooding in 2015 impacting with flooding of homes.
See
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2023/01/grand-vaux-floods-still-1-in-100-year.html
for the last review which had it as once every 100 years!
The news last night had it as once in 30 years.
See
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2023/01/grand-vaux-floods-still-1-in-100-year.html
for the last review which had it as once every 100 years!
The news last night had it as once in 30 years.
Why don't people realise that one impact of climate change is AN INCREASE in severe weather events, be it high winds, or heavy rainfall. This government needs to revise mitigation to minimise flooding, the last one which ended in 2022 did nothing about it at all. Maybe former DOI Minister Kevin Lewis should answer a few questions? It really doesn't surprise me that the last government did little to deal with the issues involved.
Here are some stories which show clearly that "unprecedented" rainfall and flooding at Grand Vaux is actually far less unprecedented that is claimed! Doesn't anyone ever reseach the recent history of these events before coming out with what is palpable nonsense? If ever there was a falsification of the theory that these are once in a hundred years or even thirty years, the history gives clear evidence that it is false.
Here are some stories which show clearly that "unprecedented" rainfall and flooding at Grand Vaux is actually far less unprecedented that is claimed! Doesn't anyone ever reseach the recent history of these events before coming out with what is palpable nonsense? If ever there was a falsification of the theory that these are once in a hundred years or even thirty years, the history gives clear evidence that it is false.
One more thing to add: flood contingency plans which involve how to evacuate are insufficient. It's like saying that we need more lifeboats after the Titanic. We do need more lifeboats. But we also need in place plans to stop them being needed in the first place. Flood plans should include measures to address and mitigate flooding, in the same way that shipping disasters don't get fixed purely by lifeboat evacuation plans but by better safety measures to ensure they are not needed. It is like saying of the cruise liner which went aground in the Mediterranean - it doesn't matter if there is an inept captain at the helm as long as we have good lifeboat drills! Unfortunately, Jersey's government from 2018-2022 has had an inept captain at the helm.
And by the way, the clear up photo above comes from the 2015 flooding!
2015 - "Unprecedented Rainfall"
https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2015/08/14/we-were-given-these-daft-flood-barriers-which-just-do-not-work/
Five years ago, following repeated flooding, the most at-risk properties at Grands Vaux were given defence barriers to place at their front doors in the event of severe weather.
But one resident has claimed that water poured into his hall after water seeped in around a faulty rubber seal on the barrier, another claimed that although her barrier stopped the water entering the front of her house, the unprotected rear was left flooded. And several others said that drainage in the area needed to be improved.
Ten homes in Nicholson Close were flooded with water up to a foot deep during Wednesday night as almost a month’s worth of rain fell in less than 12 hours.
Nicholson Close resident, Rickey Lawrence (57), claimed that it was the fifth time that the area had flooded in eight years and that yesterday’s flood was the worst he had ever seen.
‘We were given these daft flood barriers which just do not work. They are poor quality and the water just comes in around the seal.’
Mr Porter [of Andium Homes] said: ‘Met office figures indicate that in just a few hours more than 40mm of rainfall fell, this is almost the entire average rainfall for August and is unprecedented.
‘At Nicholson Close residents report that the drainage coped well with the downpour until, it seems, the sheer volume of rain appears to have washed ground from neighbouring fields which entered the main drainage network resulting in water levels rising.
30 December 2021 - Flooded Roads
https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2021/12/30/call-for-action-to-end-frequent-flooding-of-valle-des-vaux-road
RESIDENTS are calling for the parish of St Helier to take urgent action to tackle flooding in Vallée des Vaux – claiming it has blighted the area for almost three decades.
Heavy rainfall can see parts of the road completely submerged, with water overflowing from an adjacent stream, creating a hazard for drivers and pedestrians.
Tony Allchurch, a member of the Vallée des Vaux community group, said one mother had had to be given a wooden board so that she could walk across her driveway with a pram.
‘They [the parish] were trying to direct the water down the side of the road until there was a place it could fall back into the stream, but a lot of the bollards have just moved out of position and the few sandbags that were trying to hold it in place just could not cope,’ he said.
St Helier officials are considering creating gulleys in the area to stop water overflowing from an adjacent stream and becoming a hazard to road users.
Silvio Alves, the parish’s head of infrastructure, said his team had been trying to direct the water back into the stream and had used sandbags to help mitigate the flooding.
He said: ‘Vallée des Vaux does occasionally flood when there is very wet weather due to the stream overflowing. There are a couple of bridges that are potentially causing the issue and the parish will be investigating this further in the new year. We have got a possible solution. We may add some gulleys down there, but we will work with the stream owner and the residents to find a workable solution.’
2010 Questions in the States - Flooding a Once in 40 year Occasion after 2010 floods!
https://statesassembly.gov.je/assemblyquestions/2010/13.09.10%20questions%20to%20minister%20without%20notice%20housing.pdf
3.4 Deputy J.A. Hilton of St. Helier: Can the Minister tell Members whether he is satisfied that the flood-prevention measures that have been put in place by the Housing Department are adequate for flooding which has occurred recently at Grand Vaux?
2015 - "Unprecedented Rainfall"
https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2015/08/14/we-were-given-these-daft-flood-barriers-which-just-do-not-work/
Five years ago, following repeated flooding, the most at-risk properties at Grands Vaux were given defence barriers to place at their front doors in the event of severe weather.
But one resident has claimed that water poured into his hall after water seeped in around a faulty rubber seal on the barrier, another claimed that although her barrier stopped the water entering the front of her house, the unprotected rear was left flooded. And several others said that drainage in the area needed to be improved.
Ten homes in Nicholson Close were flooded with water up to a foot deep during Wednesday night as almost a month’s worth of rain fell in less than 12 hours.
Nicholson Close resident, Rickey Lawrence (57), claimed that it was the fifth time that the area had flooded in eight years and that yesterday’s flood was the worst he had ever seen.
‘We were given these daft flood barriers which just do not work. They are poor quality and the water just comes in around the seal.’
Mr Porter [of Andium Homes] said: ‘Met office figures indicate that in just a few hours more than 40mm of rainfall fell, this is almost the entire average rainfall for August and is unprecedented.
‘At Nicholson Close residents report that the drainage coped well with the downpour until, it seems, the sheer volume of rain appears to have washed ground from neighbouring fields which entered the main drainage network resulting in water levels rising.
30 December 2021 - Flooded Roads
https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2021/12/30/call-for-action-to-end-frequent-flooding-of-valle-des-vaux-road
RESIDENTS are calling for the parish of St Helier to take urgent action to tackle flooding in Vallée des Vaux – claiming it has blighted the area for almost three decades.
Heavy rainfall can see parts of the road completely submerged, with water overflowing from an adjacent stream, creating a hazard for drivers and pedestrians.
Tony Allchurch, a member of the Vallée des Vaux community group, said one mother had had to be given a wooden board so that she could walk across her driveway with a pram.
‘They [the parish] were trying to direct the water down the side of the road until there was a place it could fall back into the stream, but a lot of the bollards have just moved out of position and the few sandbags that were trying to hold it in place just could not cope,’ he said.
St Helier officials are considering creating gulleys in the area to stop water overflowing from an adjacent stream and becoming a hazard to road users.
Silvio Alves, the parish’s head of infrastructure, said his team had been trying to direct the water back into the stream and had used sandbags to help mitigate the flooding.
He said: ‘Vallée des Vaux does occasionally flood when there is very wet weather due to the stream overflowing. There are a couple of bridges that are potentially causing the issue and the parish will be investigating this further in the new year. We have got a possible solution. We may add some gulleys down there, but we will work with the stream owner and the residents to find a workable solution.’
2010 Questions in the States - Flooding a Once in 40 year Occasion after 2010 floods!
https://statesassembly.gov.je/assemblyquestions/2010/13.09.10%20questions%20to%20minister%20without%20notice%20housing.pdf
3.4 Deputy J.A. Hilton of St. Helier: Can the Minister tell Members whether he is satisfied that the flood-prevention measures that have been put in place by the Housing Department are adequate for flooding which has occurred recently at Grand Vaux?
Deputy S. Power:
I am happy to tell the Deputy and the Assembly that both myself, my Assistant Minister, and a number of officers from the Housing Department, visited Grand Vaux on the occasion and then visited Grand Vaux afterwards. We had, just the previous week, fitted specially-designed aluminium shuttering that runs to the front door.
I am happy to tell the Deputy and the Assembly that both myself, my Assistant Minister, and a number of officers from the Housing Department, visited Grand Vaux on the occasion and then visited Grand Vaux afterwards. We had, just the previous week, fitted specially-designed aluminium shuttering that runs to the front door.
It is only one small part of Grand Vaux that is affected. There was flooding. The volume of water that came down during that extraordinary downpour is not typical; I believe it is a once-in-40-year occasion.
We have also been in touch with T.T.S. (Transport and Technical Services), we have examined the dimensions and the diameter of the main drains up there and we are now looking, with T.T.S., as to what else we can do. I believe I am correct in saying it is a 9-inch main which simply cannot cope with conditions that occurred on that afternoon.
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