The cost to the UK economy of flood prevention and refurbishment after flooding in the Lake District is now significant and is likely to increase in the future The UK government should take measures to deal with problems associated with recent widespread flooding. It is, of course, the responsibility of the Environment Agency.
The agency could investigate prevention of flooding in the perimeter towns of the Lake District by collection of flood water in a network of pipes and at the same time generate hydro-electric power from the piped flood waters.
The Lake District is often used as an example of a radial river drainage pattern in geology and geomorphology text books. Make use of this pattern by collecting the water in a perimeter pipe network upstream from the major towns.
In these days of satellite imagery, planning of the best routes for the pipelines is not impossible. Captured flood water could be in surface pipes or flow in tunnels where topography is an obstacle. The geological outcrops surrounding the core of the Lake District are particularly suitable for such a project.
Other countries are able to deal with flooding by deepening and widening of existing drainage channels and construction of new channels. Two such examples are the Delta Plan of the Netherlands where, in recent years, instead of building higher dykes and dams, the engineers have deepened and widened rivers, created new canals and set aside land as dedicated flood plains. Los Angeles has built concrete flash flood drains to carry away flood water.
White water kayakers would welcome such channels to use as White Water Courses. In 2008 a white water course was constructed by diverting part of the River Trent at Holme Pierrpont, the National Water Sports Centre www.nwsnotts.com.
The UK construction industries are past masters at tunnelling and pipeline construction - for example, Cross Rail, the Channel Tunnel, offshore to onshore oil pipeline networks, the water and sewerage systems of major cities.
Anthony Crosby BSc, FGS ( Geologist, Retired)
A member of the Yorkshire Mountaineering Club whose members are frequent visitors to the Lake District and own a club cottage at Coniston West
Bridgford
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