The recent floods in Brechin have once again highlighted the town's vulnerability to flooding. Despite previous flood prevention schemes, the town continues to face recurring floods. The article argues that it is futile to try and prevent flooding in Brechin due to its geographical shape and proximity to the river. The author suggests leaving the area as a flood plain or investing in tree planting to help regulate ground water levels.
THE devastating floods in Brechin earlier this month came as no big surprise to locals and neither should they have to anyone who visits the town and looks up at the landscape around it.
There is a certain arrogance in us if we think we can stop it. I lived in the town for several years and it seems inevitable that it will keep happening. The only smart thing to do is to leave it as it is and keep the area as a flood plain. Or we can keep throwing money at it and constructing walls and drains, and hope our engineering can outwit nature.Go to the river South Esk and look up at the valley to the hillsides and what do you see? Barren sloping hills with nothing on them.
This was ruthlessly shown last year, when storms Corrie and Malik came in on the back of each other and wiped out whole forests in Angus in the space of a few nights. The soil was so thin, and the tree roots so weak, that when the winds came, the trees simply toppled into each other like so many dominoes. And then it was all gone.I studied ecology for years and have done a lot of work with nature conservation charities such as National Trust and Trees for Life, but this was a shock to even me.
Its remit is to “make significant improvements over time – restoring riparian zones and eroded peatland, adapting existing plantations, and creating new native woodland to increase the land’s resilience against mounting threats such as climate change and biodiversity loss”.They also plan to: “Consult communities … and develop and combine plans for the Glens into one Angus Land Management Plan covering Glen Doll, Glen Prosen, Glen Isla and Glen Markie.
But this is very promising. One hundred years ago, forest only covered 5% of Scotland. It is now 18% and the right trees and forests are starting to be planted, where it is practical.We can’t fully prevent future floods, but we can offset them, reduce their impact and be more prepared for them in future – by showing common sense, and working and living alongside nature. And not trying to outsmart it.
Brechin Floods Flood Prevention River Geography Tree Planting Ground Water Levels
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