November 21, 2019 4.58 pm This story is over 52 months old

Seven-year high in flood investigations hitting “limited resources”

The number is set to rise further
Flooding in Wainfleet in June. Photo: Chris Dower

Lincolnshire County Council has carried this year out more flood investigations than any of the previous seven years.

Flood bosses say the increased numbers are hitting the “limited resources” available and that the number is set to rise further.

Members of the authority’s Flood and Water Management Scrutiny Committee on Monday will be told the number of investigations started this year is the highest since Local Flood Authorities were created in April 2012.

Between April and September this year, 72 flood investigations were started due to the high level of rainfall.

However, another 53 have since been started in October and November – bringing the total to 125 investigations.

In 2012, the previous highest tally, the authorities carried out 65 investigations, just higher than half of this year’s figure.

Officers will tell councillors the “unseasonal” rainfall over the past six months has been “exceptionally high” and that heightened flood risk across the county is reflected in the “unprecedented number” of investigations.

A chart showing the number of flood investigations which have taken place annually since 2012. Picture: Lincolnshire County Council

Council officers predict the trend will continue into the third quarter of the year.

In the past two weeks, thousands of people have been affected by flooding across Lincolnshire.

Parts of Lincoln City Centre were submerged underwater, trains were disrupted and acres of farmland were cut off and ruined by the flood waters.

Norfolk County Council is currently in the midst of an investigation into flooding in Wainfleet earlier this year.

It is expected to report back early in the New Year.

A recent study by Climate Central, called CoastalDEM, showed large parts of Lincolnshire land could be at risk of disappearing due to coastal flooding by 2050.

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