Flooding

In Galicia we get a lot of rain mostly in winter. It can come in very heavy bursts but over the centuries, in rural areas the farmers have maintained the drainage systems. Pictures here show the results of the most recent heavy rain.

Here the culvert under our drive is draining the ridge away from the house onto one of our fields.

This is the ridge and resulting small waterfall which feeds the culvert.

Flowing water on our fields, this usually clears within a few hours of the rain stopping.

With the UK climate changing more attention will have to be paid to managing flood water. Of course there will always be instances of flash flooding, Spain has had plenty of those but building high density housing in traditional flood plains is madness. Sustainable urban drainage systems already exist but they cost money and need to be allocated space within housing developments. Perhaps constructors need to build less 'battery' housing squeezing as many houses as possible onto the land and consider long term water management as a higher priority than previously.

Luckily we are currently experiencing a few days of clear skies, cold nights and brilliant warm sunshine which is allowing me to get out into the garden. Bulbs are emerging, birds are singing and my goat is experiencing the delights provided by the neighbour's Billy.