After a mild Autumn with below average rainfall is it easy to forget the risk that flooding presents. I fully support the Environment Agency campaign to raise awareness of the risk of flooding and advise people what they can do to protect themselves by being prepared.

You can find out more here - https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/plan-ahead-for-flooding

The Environment Agency advise you to take steps to prepare for flooding. They say that if you know what to do if there is flooding it can significantly reduce the damages to your home and possessions (by around 40%), reduce risk to life, and reduce the likelihood of suffering from mental health impacts in the future.

As part of the Environment Agency awareness campaign they have set up a warning system. It is especially important to register via the above website to receive updates automatically by text, recorded message or e-mail if there is a risk of flooding in your area. A Flood Alert says water levels are rising and flooding is possible. A Flood Warning says that there is a risk of flooding and you should prepare.

In 2021 Storm Christoph ( not an especially serious flooding event in Selby and Ainsty ) caused some flooding in 30 villages and a total of 13 homes too be flooded inside the house.

In 2020 Storms Chiara and Dennis were much more severe. Flooding was more widespread and the River Aire flood defences were unable to cope. Nearly 30 homes were flooded, mostly from the River Aire.

The photo above shows some of the repair work and flood defence improvement work that has been carried out since then. Photographs show two section of the new 580Metre long steel piling flood barrier in Newlands,  the rock armour to protect the river bank in Temple Hirst from erosion on the bend in the river and new steel piling of the river bank in Chapel Haddlesey to prevent the flood bank by the River Aire from erosion and slipping into the river.