Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
FLOOD ALERT
The New River has risen 2 feet since 5 o'clock and is now almost at the top of the banks. If it rises any more it will flood into adjacent gardens/properties.
I have called the police and Haringey Out of Hours Service. I thought possibly Thames Water could open downstrean sluices to discharge into the Thames but gave up after 40 minutes hanging on.
I can't think of anything else to do but householders along the New River should evaluate the situation and perhaps remove valuables from basements / ground floors.
Tags for Forum Posts: new river, new river water level
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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Perhaps, to avoid further confusion between the level of the New River and the blocked drains it would be better to take this diccussion out of Flood Alert and continue this ( if we must ) in
http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/flooding
I imagine that the flooding of various streets in N8 and Wood Green is caused by lack of routine cleaning and flushing of the drains.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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The risk here, John, is that this is still a blame-game. In other words the problem is seen as someone's fault for not cleaning-out the drains. Intuitively we frame the problem this way. And our intuitive understanding is often accurate. People do block drains by pouring away, for example, cooking fat or oil. Or drains get bunged-up by leaves or litter or loose debris from roadways or front gardens. And the Council, or Transport for London isn't on top of the cleaning.
But it's also possible that the reason for localised flooding is actually from a waterflow of such volume and intensity that the surface drainage system simply can't cope. Which may be contributed to by a watermain leak; or very heavy and/or persistent rainfall.
Counter-intuitively, having a well maintained, spotlessly clean and smooth as silk surface drainage system may mean the water gushes through and then "delivers" a localised flood further down the system.
Which is why we need to take changed weather patterns very seriously. Plus factors such as building infill; the paving-over of front and sometimes rear gardens; and more generally the spread of non-permeable surfaces - which could otherwise partially soak-up and hold back excess water.
I was reminded of all this by getting a flyer for the walk this coming Sunday 24 June. It's organised by Haringey Friends of Parks and follows the 7 miles of the Moselle stream from Queen's Wood Highgate to the River Lee. Until the last century heavy rain in Muswell Hill could mean flooding in Tottenham!
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Fair enough. Begin with the simplest most likely hypothesis.
But then test it.
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Permalink Reply by andy thomas on
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I agree with John that the frequent flooding at the top end of Hampden Road is definitely a surplus rainwater problem. When I first saw this flooding about 2 years ago, I thought it was a burst main & reported it to Thames Water. For days afterwards water was streaming down the road and into Wightman Road and then one evening I saw a gully pumping truck parked on the bridge with two people sitting inside. The next morning the flood had stopped.
I've since noticed the flooding follows periods of heavy rain so it's a drainage problem.
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Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on
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Having seen this problem many times, my (inexpert) opinion is that although it looks very much like a burst main when there is heavy rain, the problem is in fact the result of a blocked draingage system.
There is some uncrertainty as to who has the responsibility to maintain and repair the drains on that stretch of Hampden Road. The reason is that for some purposes the surface at least of that stretch of road is under the control of Network Rail.
I have therefore asked council officers to look into the questions: (1) does the control of the surface of the road determine who it is who has responsibility for the drains? (2) If it does, who has that control? (3) If it does not what is it that determines that responsibility - for example is the Council responsible as the local highway authority, is the the Council or someone else responsibile as the owner of the subsoil? Is Thames Water responsible after all or is someone else responsible?When I get a reply, I will pass it on along with, I hope, details of what will be done to fix the problemDavid SchmitzLiberal Democrat Councillor for Harringay Ward
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David. I have seen it suggested ( but have no idea whether it is true ) that Network Rail are responsible for the roadway up to the bridge, and that the remainder up to the junction with Wightman Road is the responsibility of Haringey Council. This arose from arguments about the enforcement of the parking restriction on the double yellow lines.
However, responsibility for the drainage may be a different matter and, as you suggest, could lie with Thames Water who, I think, deal with sewerage. I look forward to hearing what is the determination.
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