Ribble Increased Floodrisk Alert for Autumn and Winter

The River Ribble is at "an increased risk of flooding" over the next six months, through Autumn and into Winter.

This increased floodrisk is due to the high levels of rainfall we are experiencing this year, which has had the effect of saturating the Ribble's floodplains pretty much to capacity with no prospect of drying out before the wet Autumn that forecasters are predicting begins.

The extraordinarily high levels of rain that have already fallen this Summer are 200% above the average from May to July, making the ground saturated throughout the Ribble corridor, particularly on the low-lying floodplains.

These figures have been released by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, whose statistics also show that:

'the speed of the River Ribble is 465% faster than average and that the water saturated in the soil is at an exceptionally high level.' according to This Is Lancashire.

Ribbleside residents are eternally grateful for our floodplain areas which have protected our communities from the serious floods which have affected so many areas so far this year, and for our free-flowing River which drains all that rainwater away (the Ribble being at low tide during local episodes of flash-floods in Preston and Penwortham meant the floodwaters were drained quickly), but it seems that the threat is not over. The already saturated ground will not be able to hold much more of the predicted high levels of rainfall expected over the Autumn and Winter months, which means that the Ribble will be at "an increased risk of flooding" during the coming months as the floodplains will struggle to cope.


Flash floods earlier this summer in Middleforth, Penwortham and Broadgate, Preston.

As Save The Ribble have pointed out, the Flood Defences in the Broadgate area are in a woeful state of repair and we need Preston City Council to spend money on repairing our essential flood defences NOT on funding feasability studies for barrages and floodplain building developments which will ruin our environment and actually INCREASE OUR RISK OF FLOODING.


Broadgate during high rainfall and a speeding Ribble surging past those fragile post-and-panel defences.


According to This Is Lancashire, 'The Environment Agency has already given "an enhanced flood risk" warning to all of England and Wales, and with forecasters predicting a wet autumn the Ribble looks set to have another record breaking season, which can only be bad news for residents on the Ribble floodplains.'

The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology summarise their findings:
'The Monthly Hydrological Summary for the UK, published today [15th August 2007], includes an analysis of the unprecedented summer flooding. The wettest May-July period for England & Wales in a record from 1767 resulted in near-saturated soil conditions and river flows more typical of a notably wet winter, with extensive floodplain inundations in both June and July. In the July Hydrological Summary, scientists at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the British Geological Survey provide a detailed appraisal of a summer flood episode that has no close modern parallel.'

This Is Lancashire report that the the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology statistics show 'the speed of the River Ribble is 465% faster than average and that the water saturated in the soil is at an exceptionally high level.'

Spokesman for the CEH Barnaby Smith told This Is Lancashire that "The soils are extremely wet in comparison with previous summer months and with more rain predicted it is unlikely soils will dry out. We are going to get more floods. The River Ribble will be vulnerable to winter floods over the next six months."'



Ian Rowland, Flood Risk Manager for the Environment Agency told This Is Lancashire that "We are dealing with a force of nature here and you can never say never to a flood occurring. We can only manage the risks.

"However we do monitor flood levels throughout the year and try to attain the strongest possible idea of whether a river will flood.

"In the event of a flood we ensure the river is put on high alert and flood warnings are sent out to the local media."

'It will depend on weather patterns throughout the winter months if the Ribble breeches its banks however some of the causes of flooding are already in place along much of the Ribble.

The Environment Agency encourages those who believe they are at a serious risk flooding of flooding to call the Floodline on 0845988188 or visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk, and sign up for direct flood warnings.' (This Is Lancashire)


For more on issues of flooding and the Ribble see:
the Dangers of Riverworks;
Why A Barrage Will Increase Ribble Floodrisk;
Why building on the Penwortham Green Belt will increase floodrisk;
and why the Environment Agency are opposed to further developments on floodplain.

You can read the This Is Lancashire story here.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Tales and Pictures from the Riverbank

A visitor to Penwortham, Chris from Norfolk, sent in these pictures, saying he is so impressed by the beauty, and peace and quiet of the River and green spaces in the Broadgate, Penwortham, and Frenchwood areas which run along the beautiful River Ribble, he is looking to move here as soon as he can - as he says, 'Where else can people boast of having all this unspoilt beauty on their doorstep?'...






Birds at low tide sunning themselves on the exposed stones of the river bed...


...and other Ribblesiders can be seen on the exposed flats of low tide enjoying this beautiful summer weather too...




Ribbleside - space to breathe!

Thanks Chris!


The appreciation of the power and beauty and environmental integrity of the River Ribble, and the threat facing this magnificent agent of Nature, has caused many local residents to reflect on how they feel about the irreplaceable value of this area, and its own vital existence beyond the narrow and ill-conceived aims of economic gain.
Aidan of Frenchwood sent us an extract from a poem by T. S. Eliot which struck him as particularly relevant...

I do not know much about gods; but I think that the river
Is a brown god - sullen, untamed and intractable,
Patient to some degree, at first recognised as a frontier;
Useful, untrustworthy, as a conveyor of commerce;
Then only as a problem confronting the builder of bridges.
The problem once solved, the brown god is almost forgotten
By the dwellers in cities - ever, however, implacable,
Keeping his seasons and rages, destroyer, reminder
Of what men choose to forget. Unhonoured, unpropitiated
By worshippers of the machine, but waiting, watching and waiting.

'Dry Salvages' from T. S. Eliot's 'Four Quartets'.


This poem is also a stark reminder that we Ribblesiders have been very lucky this summer - only a few localised floods - due entirely to the efficient drain the Ribble provides to a huge area of Lancashire, taking the unprecedented levels of rainwater safely down to the sea...


Jim B joined the Ribblesiders Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walk to Brockholes on 4th August, and sent in a link to some of the photos he took of the event, which you can look at here Jim's Ribble Walk to Brockholes pics...


The following pictures were sent in by JB of Middleforth who, like many Ribblesiders, spends as much time as possible messing about by the River and on the Penwortham Green Belt - come rain or shine (which is just as well, given the RAIN this summer!).

From the River in all her moods and at all tides...


...from a lazy river meandering by on a beautiful warm day...


...to low tide, always a pleasure for ALL Ribblesiders...


...to high rainfall, which brings high river levels - even at Neap tides as here...


...yet even the rain brings its own beauty to the river, in sight and in sound...


...including the roar of the Ribble's spate waters as they churn by.

The diverse and fabulous green spaces which run back from the Ribble's banks offer their own delights...


...from fabulous riverbank trees...


...which still look impressive even when the River levels are threatening their roots...


...to diverse green spaces of barley fields...


...and meadows, rich with numerous grasses...


...and wildflowers...

...and of course whatever the weather, Ribblesiders are enjoying the Ribble's wildlife wherever possible...


...insects form the basis of the foodchain...


...although the odd bag of breadcrumbs is always welcome for the ducks!


The Ribble's numerous Swans always manage to maintain a more dignified air...




...and all this is STILL only 5 minutes walk from a busy city centre...


For more of this summer's Ribbleside pictures, see The Ribble Cycle Diaries...

Contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival - Ribble Way Walk to Brockholes Wetland

For the opening event in the first ever Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival, Save the Ribblers organised a Ribble Way Walk along the river banks from the Old Tram Bridge connecting the Penwortham Green Belt to Avenham & Miller Parks to Brockholes Wetland.

The route for this walk was chosen as an ideal opportunity to celebrate the designation of the Ribble as a Regional Park and Brockholes Wetland as the latest - and biggest - Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve in Britain, and the latest addition to the Ribble's Wetlands.


Brockholes Wetland Nature Reserve.


The River Ribble at Brockholes.

A keen band of Ribblesiders from South Ribble and Preston had a very enjoyable day - despite the occasional drizzle - spotting a huge number of bird, plant, and insect life along the Ribble's banks...




It was low tide when we left the Tram Bridge, a great time to spot the numerous bird species feeding in the exposed riverbed - or interrupting their breakfast to watch us as we watch them!


As we moved further upriver, the low waters rushed over the riverbed and a large family of Goosander were enjoying the ride...


Riverbank plants are hugely diverse - particularly in the spots where Himalayan Balsam has either been cleared or hasn't yet taken a hold, this Burdock provided a great deal of enjoyment to the younger members of the group who spent a portion of the walk throwing the burred buds onto one another...


We decided to walk along the Ribble Way Cycle path from the Shawes Arms to Mete House as the riverbank fields here have cattle and we decided that this was best avoided with the recent Foot & Mouth outbreak as it's best to be cautious in these early days...

This was no hardship however as the views are spectacular...




The Ribble from the edge of Mellings Wood...

The walk took us through Mellings Wood...



...and past the Ribble at Cuerdale Hall, site of the famous treasure find, the Cuerdale Hoard...



...although other great treasures are to be found on the riverbanbks along the Ribble here, including Kingfishers and Sand Martin colonies...



...before we arrive at the beautiful vista of the River Ribble at the Tickled Trout...



Lower Brockholes Farm runs down to the river here, on the Preston bank...



...although this farm will soon change forever once the aggregate quarrying begins here too.

At Brockholes Wetland, the Reserve Manager, Sophie Leadsom, welcomed us to the Reserve, and very kindly gave us our own personal guided tour of the site, explaining the enormous amount of work she needs to do before the site is opened to the public...



The site can still be accessed by the Ribble Way footpath, which runs right through the centre of the new reserve, plus there is a permissive footpath which follows the loop of the Ribble as it curves around the area. The rest of the site will not be open to the public at least until safety work is completed - this was until recently a working quarry and some areas of the site are very dangerous - and some basic works have been undertaken.

Even though much of the site is beautiful and green, Sophie explained that a great deal of work has to be done even here as Willow has self-seeded on the shores and islands which - until this summer - were home to the largest colony of Whimbrel in the country. This year the Whimbrel have not nested on the islands at Brockholes as they prefer much less cover which can hide their predators.



Nonetheless, the wildife which is already supported here at Brockholes is staggering - and with the improvements Sophie has in mind, this Reserve will be one of the most important wildlife sites in Lancashire, providing sections of all kinds of traditional Lancashire habitat along with the lakes themselves...



Including woodlands and both wet meadows and dry...





...which will mean even more wildflowers and grasses and other plant species will cover the area...


...including such species as Tufted Vetch and Birds Foot Trefoil...


...Mallow...


... and Meadow Cranesbill...

But, beautiful though they are, the plants aren't the most important species in the foodchain, it's the insects which are attracted to the plants which are the most important of all, providing essential energy to the numerous bird species which now populate this Wetland...


Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars on Ragwort


Probably Peacock Butterfly caterpillars...


Demoiselle Dragonflies have joined the huge numbers of Common Blue and other Damselflies and Dragonflies which are abundant at Brockholes.

On the site of the most recent quarry excavations, Sophie explains how this barren stony ground will become a lush wetland meadow within 3 years...



...and because it will be properly managed from the very beginning, Sophie will be able to avoid having to do all the extra work on this area that she is having to do on the more mature lakes and meadows. This includes having to reduce the height levels of the islands, extend and grade the slopes into the water to remove the steep drops into the quarry bottom which currently exist (which reduce habitat provision), and remove the invasive plant species which will interfere with these special habitats at Brockholes.



The bird and insect species at Brockholes is already so impressive it allowed the Wildlife Trust to put forward their proposals to protect the site from development - managing to purchase the site at the beginning of the year despite a scarily short deadline with the generous help of local people.


Geese...


and Lapwing were amongst the birds which showed off for us while we were here.


The Ribble as it curves around Brockholes here is extremely beautiful, and as well as Geese and Sand Martins alongside more Damoiselle flies on the banks here, we had the privilege of a close view of a Kingfisher.

We had a picnic lunch and a rest at Brockholes, although one member of the party had an even bigger rest before the walk back...




Our Brockholes tour over, we had the pleasure of the walk home along the Ribble's beautiful banks, back downriver past Cuerdale Hall...



...Mete House, where other Ribblesiders were enjoying the clear and warm afternoon on the riverbanks...



...before reaching the Tram Bridge in time for high tide...



Along with a number of swans, a cormorant was fishing for his supper, and the breeze was rustling through the riverside trees...


...so we spent a good while enjoying more of this summer day messing about on the riverbank...

...and we take in the waving heads of the Barley on our way back downriver to Old Penwortham Bridge...



- although an unexpected and unwelcome disturbance scattered the swans and ducks and cormorants and gulls in all directions, and we all quickly left for home rather than have our Ribbling afternoon spoiled...




There are many more Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival Events, including a number local to South Ribble and Preston, including Fishwick Bottoms, our local Parks, Longton Brickcroft, amongst many others, as well as further afield at Crossens, Southport, Martin Mere, and Granny's Bay.

For more information, see Ribble Events, or follow the links to the Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival at Mersey Basin.

savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk