Written by Concerned local residents have closed the Greentree Brae floodgate as the level of Freuchie Burn continues to rise.
Photo: Greentree Brae Bridge floodgate
The Freuchie Burn was running at about 60% when checked around 1:30pm today.
Posts tagged flood
Bridge Floodgate Closed
SEPA Issues Flood Alert
SEPA has issued a flood alert for Fife:
A FLOOD ALERT has been issued for Fife.
Persistent and heavy rain is forecast to come through on Wednesday and continue through until mid Thursday .
Catchments are already partially saturated and this rain is expected to cause flooding, particularly in low lying and urban areas and from small watercourses. There is potential for greater impacts later today and the flood alert will be updated as more information becomes available.
UPDATE
This flood alert is over.
Floodgate: Fixture or Not?
A recent change of ownership of an at risk property in Freuchie has brought up an interesting issue which needed both legal and technical advice: when does a floodgate become a fixture and fitting?
FFAG takes the following stance on this matter:
A floodgate, or indeed any flood protection product, becomes a fixture and fitting when any part has to be permanently fixed to the building structure OR removal of any part would result in damage to the building.
Both our legal counsel and Paul Hendy of the Scottish Flood Forum has indicated this is a grey area of law, but they take a similar stance as to when a floodgate becomes a fixture and fitting.
The floodgate system was custom constructed onsite before being installed on specific door ways, with the guide rails of the system being sealed and screwed onto the door jambs. The fixed guide rails have not been unscrewed and removed, only the floodgate panels that hold back the flood waters have been taken.
It is slightly unbelievable someone, who themselves had been badly flooded, would wilfully remove critical components of the flood protection products to take to a new property where they would be utterly useless. This selfish action has put both this property and the neighbouring property at risk from flooding. Other local residents, with the same floodgate system, found it unbelievable that anyone would take away vital parts of the flood protection, especially when everyone is well aware of how critical they are for the prevention of complete ground floor destruction in a major flood event.
Needless to say we have advised the new householder to consult with his own solicitor as a top priority. FFAG has also sent an email to the previous owner and Your Move in Cupar, who we believe were the selling agent, stating our position and making a request for the immediate return of the removable parts of the floodgate system.
UPDATE 10TH AUGUST
Confirmed with Your Move that our email had been received and appropriate action has been taken.
Fife Herald contacted FFAG for details and photo opportunity.
UPDATE 11TH AUGUST
SEPA issued Flood Alert.
Met Office issued Yellow then Amber Severe Weather Warning.
The Courier contacted FFAG for details and photo opportunity.
Freuchie Community Council shocked by this story at the regular monthly meeting.
Floodgate parts returned on an evening when flooding is a major concern.
Please feel free to comment with your opinion and thoughts.
Rain Being Forecast
Scary rain is heading our way by Wednesday, potentially lasting into next week.
Weather forecast data for Freuchie from the Norwegian Weather Service
Fingers crossed the weathermen have it wrong.
The cumulative result of the rainfall this week past and the forecast rainfall, if repeated across Scotland, will undoubtedly and sadly result in flooding throughout Scotland. Our experience of past flood events in Freuchie suggests these daily rainfall totals will see watercourse levels rising to levels where we will be closely monitoring the Freuchie and Pittilock Burns.
Be prepared and keep an eye on the FFAG web resources for information as the weather patterns evolve over the coming days.
New Flood Symbols
Worth pointing out SEPA launched a range of new flood symbols earlier this year to make it easier to understand the likelihood of flooding. Big improvement over the old symbols.
Flood Warning
SEPA has issued a flood alert for Fife:
An updated FLOOD ALERT has been issued for Fife.
A spell of heavy and possibly thundery rain is expected across much of the region through Saturday and into Sunday. The rain is expected to start during the morning and give possible totals of between 25 and 35mm with higher totals expected over more eastern and coastal parts of Fife.
River levels across the region are currently low. However, rivers and smaller watercourses in the areas that are affected by the heaviest of the rain over the weekend will rise, which may result in some minor disruption.
There may be localised flooding issues in towns and communities across the region, with surface water and possible road flooding causing some disruption. The Flood Alert will be updated as further information is known.Remain vigilant and remember, it is your responsibility to take actions which help protect yourself and your property. Advice and information is available through Floodline on 0845 9881188. This FLOOD ALERT UPDATE is now in force until further notice.
The Met Office has also issued an AMBER severe weather warning:
Rain will become persistent and often heavy across Southeast Scotland during the afternoon, spreading north into the rest of the East this evening and tonight. The rain will last through much of Sunday. Accumulations of 25 to 35mm are expected widely, with 60mm locally and a small risk of localised totals of 75 to 100mm in the Southeast.
Time to dust down your flood protection products ready to deploy just in case the rainfall is the worst case.
SEPA Consultation
It is time for flood hit communities to check your area is recognised as an area at risk from flooding.
SEPA is conducting the following consultation:
Flooding in Scotland: A consultation on Potentially Vulnerable Areas and Local Plan Districts, seeks your views on how the National Flood Risk Assessment identifies areas for flood risk management planning and was launched by the Minister for the Environment, Stewart Stevenson, at the Braid Burn in Edinburgh. Your responses will help us to identify those areas in Scotland where public bodies should focus their efforts.
The consultation can be found here.
Freuchie belongs to the “Tay Estuary and Montrose Basin” Local Plan District.
Yorkshire Flash Floods
Our thoughts go out to the people of Yorkshire affected by flash flooding yesterday afternoon and overnight.
The National Flood Forum is available to help out people in England affected by flooding.
Feel free to send Freuchie Flood Action Group a message if you have a query that is going unanswered elsewhere.
News Resources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-14396998
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14399448
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/uk/flash-floods-force-evacuations-16032119.html
http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Floods-hit-East-Yorkshire-homes-torrential-rain/story-13067523-detail/story.html
Technorati Tags: flash flooding,flood,Freuchie,Freuchie Flood Action Group,National Flood Forum,Yorkshire
Pensioner Dies in Flood
Bill Hamilton, 68, was trying to assist residents whose houses were hit by flash floods in the Inverness village of Smithton when he fell, hit his head and disappeared from sight into a swollen burn. It appears he had been attempting to clear debris from a culvert trash screen.
STV has full coverage of this tragedy, including a video report.
Our condolences go to Mr Hamilton’s family and friends.
Falkland Flood
Falkland once again experienced flooding last Saturday evening. This is a very scary occurrence as the rainfall measured by the Freuchie Mill weather station was only about 10mm for the full day. This level of rainfall really shouldn’t be causing flood events!
Local resident Betty Gilchrist supplied the above photos and the following update to FFAG:
After a great lot of thunder in the afternoon with no rain, after 5.p.m. it did rain but nothing much to talk about, then suddenly at the back of 8 o’clock this water suddenly arrived by 10 o’clock it had greatly subsided. During the time of the flooding it managed to get in to the house of Bridge-end, they do have a flood gate but as they only moved into the house a few weeks ago were not expecting this to happen in the summer. Burnside cottage did have their floodgate on and prevented them from having water in their house. As my house sits a bit higher I was lucky again, but the day might come. The water from the burn does not burst its banks in Balmblae it bursts it’s banks in the West Loan park and runs along the road and into the houses in Balmblae.
Once again a flood event occurs in the highest priority area in Fife waiting for a flood study. Time for Fife Council to get this important investigation work out of the way to allow prevention and protection measures to be put in place for Falkland and Freuchie.
Technorati Tags: Balmblae,Falkland,FFAG,Fife,Fife Council,flood,flooding,flood study,Freuchie,Freuchie Mill
