Freuchie Community Council announced this morning on the FCC Facebook page that work has begun on the new footbridge at Greentree Brae:
Installation works on the long-awaited replacement footbridge linking Dykeside with Green Tree Brae have begun, and the bridge should be completed by the end of March.
FFAG will be reporting on this work as it progresses, looking particularly at the floodgate which will offer protection to Greentree Brae residents who were badly flooded on the 13th August 2008.
An amusing little joke that has an underlying message of importance to flood victims.
A golfer is cupping his hand to scoop water from a burn on the St Andrew’s Old course.
A greenkeeper shouts at him : ‘Dinnae drink tha waater ! Et’s foo ae coo’s shite an pish!’
The golfer replies: ‘My Good fellow, I’m from England. Could you repeat that for me, in English!?’
The keeper replies: ‘I said, use two hands – you’ll spill less that way!
Keep in mind the many nasties flood water contains when clearing up after a flood. Deaths have even been linked to disease loaded flood water. For example, Leptospirosis, otherwise known as Weil’s Disease, is one of the better know risk factors in flood water that can result in life threatening complications.
Be careful, wear appropriate PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) and use effective hygiene measures to keep yourself healthy and safe. Let the flood recovery specialists deal with everything if in doubt.
Technorati Tags: flood, flood water, Leptospirosis, Weil’s Disease
Unfortunately the planned work to reinstate the culvert outlet area at Freuchie Mill has been delayed due to the recent bad weather and delays in the other flood prevention and protection works carried out over the last few months.
The consultants for Kingdom Housing Association has advised the work will now commence on the 28th March, lasting an expected 4 – 6 weeks. They have offered an apology for the delay which is outside of their control.
Technorati Tags: flood, Freuchie, Kingdom Housing Association
Following the mini-flood event on Friday, FFAG made a couple of suggestions to the owners of Freuchie Mill House on how to reduce the risk of flooding by blocked drainage grids. The owners have responded to our suggestions incredibly quickly, putting in place a couple of new adhoc trash screens that should help to reduce the amount of debris being washed down to the drainage grid.
The residents of Freuchie Mill thank you for your assistance, hard work and continued support.
Technorati Tags: flood, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Mill
Just a heads up to warn the current rainfall of 3.6mm per hour will see water course levels rising substantially throughout Freuchie over the next few hours. Be prepared to deploy your flood protection products.
Photo: Freuchie Mill culvert at 4:30pm on 4th February 2011
Photo: Freuchie Mill culvert at 6:10pm on 4th February 2011
The residents of Freuchie are in major flood watch preparedness.
2am Update 
Freuchie Burn running at about 60% capacity in the centre of the village.
Water channel at The Feus running high.
Freuchie Mill culvert alarmingly high and still rising with the moderate and heavy rainfall falling on Freuchie and surrounding area.
Photos: Freuchie Mill culvert @ 2am
4am Update
Freuchie Mill residents are closely monitoring the water level at the culvert. Many cars have already been moved to safety and flood defence products are deployed as a precaution.
Fingers and toes are crossed for the next few hours to be relatively rain free. Flooding will occur if the next few hours sees the same rainfall as the last few hours.
Photos: Freuchie Mill culvert @ 4am
We would already be reporting massive property damage again on the scale of the 13th August 2008 event if it wasn’t for the reinstatement of the diversion pipe a few years ago and the surface drainage improvements scheme completed in 2009. Once again the residents of Freuchie Mill thank Cllr MacDiarmid and everyone at Fife Council for getting the drainage improvements completed before this current incident. Time to redouble of efforts before we get an event that we cannot survive!
Technorati Tags: flood, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Burn, Freuchie Mill, Greentree Brae, The Feus
From Wikipedia:
In hydrology, snowmelt is surface runoff produced from melting snow. It can also be used to describe the period or season during which such runoff is produced. …
Even before the period of severe weather has come to an end, residents throughout Freuchie are increasingly concerned about the effect of snowmelt on the watercourses and the possibility of flooding. Fingers are well and truly crossed for a slow thaw next week!
It is worth checking out your flood protection products if you’ve not already done so this season.
Freuchie has been recommended as the next priority area for a flood scoping study in a Fife Council report being submitted to the Environment, Enterprise and Transportation Committee next week.
In the report Jim Moodie, Lead Officer for Harbours, Flood and Coast, has recommended:
“Priority areas with identified flood risk, that require flood studies, indicated within the Fife Flood Alleviation Report 2009, are Freuchie Village including Freuchie Mill, Falkland Village and East Wemyss. Further locations will be identified under the Act as all sources of flooding require to be considered, including surface water over land flow, agricultural drainage, groundwater / springs and coastal flooding.
At this time it is considered that the next flood study should be progressed at Freuchie Village including Freuchie Mill, which is the location most likely to produce various forms of viable economic flood alleviation options in view of the number of properties at risk from flooding from a variety of sources. This will focus efforts on an area and a community at greatest risk of flooding.“
This is a very welcome development indeed and is certainly movement in the right direction for our flood prevention and protection campaign.
Hopefully the elected members will be in agreement with the report.
UPDATE:
Councillors approved the FRM Act report at Thursday’s meeting of the Enterprise, Environment & Transportation committee meeting.
RESOURCES:
Report:
http://www.fife.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=publication.pop&pubid=3F5C0B3A-BB8D-EA3F-5AAD56B99DF8288D
Meeting Homepage:
http://www.fife.gov.uk/fife_council/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.orgdisplay&objectid=209E710F-DC3B-E609-5B7AADDE940FE0EB&orgid=60304273-A856-11D6-BF4D0002A5349AC9&pageid=27323C99-65BF-00F7-D5CA78C602143047
[ TinyURL version: http://tinyurl.com/37cdgvr ]
Technorati Tags: East Wemyss, Falkland, Fife Council, flood, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Mill, Jim Moodie
Fife Council and other partners involved in flooding incidents have been working hard behind the scenes to analyse and develop an improved and better integrated response for communities at risk from flooding. A review report was submitted to the October 2010 meeting of the Environment, Enterprise & Transportation Committee and makes for very interesting reading to those of us with an interest in flooding. More information here.
Fife is certainly better prepared for moderate and heavy rainfall events with these new measures and additional resources. The notorious culvert at Freuchie Mill is one of the Priority 1 flood risk areas that receives special consideration. Transportation Services has also indicated Greentree Brae bridge will be added once the new bridge is constructed. FFAG will be considering if there are other areas of Freuchie that should be examined for inclusion in the new inspection regime.
The personnel from the various organisation who contributed to the major improvements highlighted in this document should be commended for their effort and professionalism.
Here’s hoping Freuchie doesn’t need to test out the new equipment and full emergency flooding response.
RESOURCES
Emergency Flooding Procedure Review – Oct 2010
Technorati Tags: flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Mill, Fife, Fife Council, Greentree Brae
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