In the event of a flood.

[Louis M]

I did like the the photo of Cow Bridge

So for now at least it would appear we are safe!

[Taxing]

I remember in the early/mid 1970s the end of Port Vale under the scooby doo bridge and the bottom of Nelson Street getting severely flooded and only McMullen lorries large enough to get through. Although I was only a child at the time so it may have seemed a lot deeper than it actually was

Could that have been the same date? Sept 1968? Has it flooded since?

Was definitely the mid 70s (could even have been a slight bit later) as I wasn't born until 1970 I remember being young enough to be concerned about the 100s of snails that had climbed the tall weeds on the edge of the bridge embankment and were subsequently surrounded by water. We took great pleasure in rescuing them and I'm sure someone was even lending a hand sitting in a dingy!

[LoucasX]

I think that because all our rivers have natural floods plains that are as yet undeveloped, as well as well maintained sluices and weirs, the only major flooding I can remember has been when the Beane flooded Port Vale back in the 60s because of a blockage at the sluice down river. Essentially human error.

600 Cowbridge Flood 060.jpg

I attended an event at County Hall where someone from district council confessed that they are responsible for the sluice at Hertford Castle but they did not know they were! So it was a surprise to them earlier this year when the environment agency rang them up and asked them to adjust the sluice quickly because of a severe flood warning. Apparently they are investing in some telemetry that will mean the sluice is adjusted automatically in future.

[Darcy Sarto]

"Apparently they are investing in some telemetry that will mean the sluice is adjusted automatically in future".

Another gov't/EA sponsored IT disaster waiting to happen. It would probably work out cheaper to pay me to sit at home and when they 'phone me I'll go down to the sluice and turn the handle - I think its a job that just about fits my skill set these days.....