Floods explanation : Cumbria County Council

It rains a lot in Cumbria. You might say we are famous for it. But nothing could have prepared us for what happened after the first drops began to fall in the early hours of Wednesday 18 November 2009.

The days and weeks before had been decidedly damp. Across the county rivers and lakes were high, and the ground was puddled and sodden. When the early severe weather warnings and flood alerts began to appear it was no surprise. Well rehearsed plans were put into place, bringing agencies together to monitor the situation and to prepare for the worst. Preparations were measured and calm.

Between Wednesday 18 November and Friday 20 November up to 448mm of rain fell over Cumbria. In the 24 hours ending just after midnight on Friday 20 November, 316mm of rain fell in Seathwaite at the head of the Borrowdale valley – the most rain that has ever fallen in a 24 hour period in the UK.

The air mass responsible for the rain was formed in the south tropics where unusually high sea temperatures ensured that the air was extraordinarily rich in moisture. The air mass tracked north as part of the ‘warm conveyor’ air flow. As the air was blown over the Cumbria fells it cooled causing the moisture to condense and fall as rain. The ‘warm conveyor’ remained over the fells for a period of 36 hours maintaining exceptional rainfall levels.

The effect was devastating. Rain tumbled from the saturated fells into overflowing lakes and rivers, and onwards through countryside and communities. Flooding occurred in five of Cumbria’s six district areas – the only one escaping being Barrow. Considering the fact that Cumbria, England’s second largest county, covers over 2,600 square miles, the extent of the flood impact was quite remarkable.

The most serious flooding was concentrated in South Lakeland and Allerdale. In the south of the county the River Kent in Kendal came close to overtopping its banks in the centre of town, and homes were evacuated in Burneside, and the Dragley Beck area of Ulverston. In the Lake District’s tourist heartland, Windermere and Bowness were badly affected as even England‘s largest lake could not contain the floodwaters.

But it was in Allerdale where the most dramatic impact was felt. As the rain continued to fall through Thursday 19 November some of the county’s most picturesque lakes were filled to the brim. Eventually they could take no more. Water teemed from Derwent Water into the nascent River Derwent, via Bassenthwaite, towards the sea. Across the fells, Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater also reached capacity and floodwaters poured down the River Cocker and through the Vale of Lorton towards the point where the River Cocker and the River Derwent converge on the outskirts of the small market town of Cockermouth.

It was here that TV cameras captured the terrifying drama as it unfolded. The floodwaters of the Rivers Derwent and Cocker combined to force an eight foot wall of water through the heart of Cockermouth, transforming the once familiar main street into an unrecognisable torrent. People we thought of as friends and neighbours were transformed in front of our eyes into ‘victims’ plucked from their deluged town by rescue helicopters and lifeboats – homes and possessions abandoned in the flight to safety.

As the rescue effort intensified through that dark night, it was clear that the floods would have a lasting impact on the county and its people. At that stage nobody could have known that worse was yet to come.

The floodwaters which surged through Cockermouth continued their journey towards the Irish Sea carrying tonnes of debris down the River Derwent towards the Port of Workington.

In the early hours of Friday 20 November news broke of a tragedy that was both shocking and unforeseen. Northside Bridge – a vital road link which connected the north and south sides of Workington began to buckle as the swirling waters battered its buttresses and parapets. Police officers raced to the scene to make sure that motorists and pedestrians steered clear of the increasingly unstable structure.

As PC Bill Barker directed traffic away from the bridge, the 100 year old structure gave way beneath him.

Later the same day it became clear that other vital bridges across the county were at risk because of the extreme force of water. Lorton Bridge near Cockermouth and Braithwaite Bridge near Keswick had also collapsed; and many others were closed pending structural checks.

By Saturday 21 November it became clear that a second vital road link – Workington or Calva Bridge – was also unstable and close to collapse. It too had to be closed and with the A596 and A597 now severed, Workington was split in two. A short journey across town suddenly required a 21-mile detour causing huge anxiety about access to essential services – particularly for people in the north of the town.

By Sunday 22 November the rains had abated and flood levels began to stabilise. Cumbria drew breath, assessed the damage, and reflected on the unbreakable community spirit which had drawn people ever closer together, and which saw them though their darkest hour.