Where is Bradford on Tone?
Bradford on Tone is a small settlement on the River Tone. It is situated to the west of Taunton, and has a population of 622.
Where are the Flood Defences?
The below map shows the location of the flood defences (mapping under PMCL No. LAN1001865) :
Are the Flood Defences Effective?
To a point. But they are not very good.
The defences are recorded as being in fai to good condition. The southern embankment has a crest level of 31.68mAOD, and this would be overtopped given a 1:20 year flood event. It provide protection against a 1:10 year event just.
These scenarios do not account for climate change that will increase flow volumes in this river by 4.7%.
A 1:100 year event is perhaps more appropriate level of defence, and cities such as London will for the most part have 1:1000 year protection.
1:10 Year Explanation
This last section made with gemini AI
A 1:10 flood event, also known as a 10-year flood, is a flood event that has a 1 in 10 chance (10% probability) of occurring in any given year. It’s important to understand that this does not mean the flood will occur exactly once every 10 years, nor does it guarantee that it won’t happen more frequently.
Here’s what you need to know about 1:10 flood events:
- Probability: A 1:10 flood has a 10% chance of occurring in any single year. This means that even if a 1:10 flood happened this year, there’s still a 10% chance it could happen again next year.
- Recurrence Interval: The “10-year” part refers to the average recurrence interval, which is the average time between events of a similar magnitude. However, this is just an average, and floods can occur more or less frequently due to natural variations in weather patterns.
- Flood Risk: 1:10 floods are considered relatively frequent events. They can cause significant damage to property and infrastructure, and pose a risk to people’s safety.