Flood Warnings
Below are the documents that were presented at the community information day on Friday 11 November and Saturday 12 November.
Current Proposals November 2011
Cockermouth Historic Flooding Outlines
Historic flooding in Cockermouth
Cockermouth flood risk management Plan (November 2011)
Cockermouth Flood Risk Management Q & A
The Environment Agency’s approach to River Maintenance
Click above for the full presentation
The following statement is from United Utilities regarding the management of Crummock water levels.
“Crummock Water provides water supplies to Workington, Cockermouth and surrounding areas. There is a small weir at the outlet of the lake with two central penstocks that can be opened at times of very dry weather when the water level in the lake falls below the crest of the weir. In this situation, water flows via the penstocks from the lake and into the River Cocker downstream to maintain a minimum flow of water.
The weir and the two central penstocks provide no level control function in normal weather or flood conditions. Water overflows the weir for most of the year and the weir only provides water level control during very dry weather situations.
It is important to note that United Utilities is not permitted to abstract any water from Crummock Water once the lake level falls 1 metre below the crest level of the weir. If large sluice gates were installed at the weir to lower the lake levels for flood storage, it would not be possible to hold the lake at a lower level and still reliably abstract water for supply to the people of Workington, Cockermouth and surrounding areas.
Even without this operational constraint, the amount of water that could be released by sluices at the weir would have been negligible in comparison to the inflows to the lake during October and November such were the rainfall volumes in this period.
This is a different situation to Thirlmere which is a large man-made reservoir where levels can fluctuate by over 10 metres in most years. By contrast, Crummock Water is a lake with a very small weir to provide only 1 metre of additional storage for public water supply.”
On August 29 2011 on our website an article entitled ‘Latest Flood Defence Proposals’ was posted. The article states that the preferred option for flood defences on Rubby Banks Road is a raising barrier, this is no longer the case. The article title has been changed to ‘Flood Defence Proposals’. There are three options regarding the flood defence on Rubby Banks Road, which are a solid wall, a wall with glass panels and the rising barrier. The Environment Agency are currently researching the relative cost, maintenance requirements and reliability of the options under consideration. Once we have the updated plans we will upload them onto the site.
The residents of Cockermouth need to raise money to build flood defences to protect our beautiful town. The Cockermouth Flood Action Group is working with the Environment Agency and others to design and build improved defences to protect homes and businesses from flooding.
The Cockerhoop fell run aims to help raise money by taking on the imposing watershed of the River Cocker on the 19th November 2011, the second anniversary of the floods.
This challenging 35 mile route begins and ends on the River Cocker foot bridge next to the Jennings brewery in the heart of Cockermouth, and follows the skyline above Crummock Water and Buttermere, taking in the main mountain summits of the watershed, including Melbreak, Red Pike, High Crag, Haystacks, Brandreth, Dale Head, Robinson, Grassmoor and Hope Gill Head.
For more information please visit
http://www.spatialconsultants.com/cockerhoop-fell-run-flood-defences
To donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/cockerhoop-fell-run-flood-defences/
Thank you for your support!
CockermouthRiver Levels
Reservoir levels
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