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| 'This is not going to go away': what happens when the flood waters recede? | 'This is not going to go away': what happens when the flood waters recede? |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| At the British Legion hall, the volunteers of Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support are looking for someone to foster a cat. In between jazzercise classes, the hall has become a community hub for the recovery process since the river Don overtopped its banks on 7 January - just a few days after Storm Frank caused so much damage across Scotland and northern England. | At the British Legion hall, the volunteers of Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support are looking for someone to foster a cat. In between jazzercise classes, the hall has become a community hub for the recovery process since the river Don overtopped its banks on 7 January - just a few days after Storm Frank caused so much damage across Scotland and northern England. |
| The group is staffed by locals who are still signing up for shifts several weeks after the initial emergency mobilisation. It has been distributing cleaning products, towels and heaters donated by local businesses, making up food parcels, and arranging for pets to be fostered, as 92 families in Inverurie remain unable to return to their sodden homes. Nearly as many families again in the surrounding villages north of Aberdeen are in a similar position. | The group is staffed by locals who are still signing up for shifts several weeks after the initial emergency mobilisation. It has been distributing cleaning products, towels and heaters donated by local businesses, making up food parcels, and arranging for pets to be fostered, as 92 families in Inverurie remain unable to return to their sodden homes. Nearly as many families again in the surrounding villages north of Aberdeen are in a similar position. |
| “Initially people were coping well because they had so much to do,” says volunteer coordinator Fiona Cooper, “but once that initial period is over that’s when the trauma really hits and they realise this is not going to away.” | “Initially people were coping well because they had so much to do,” says volunteer coordinator Fiona Cooper, “but once that initial period is over that’s when the trauma really hits and they realise this is not going to away.” |
| “Then the insurance company is slow or workmen are taking their belongings out of homes with no sensitivity and that’s the catalyst for tears.” | “Then the insurance company is slow or workmen are taking their belongings out of homes with no sensitivity and that’s the catalyst for tears.” |
| Steve Russell, whose cottage in nearby Port Elphinstone filled with three feet of flood water, admits that he finds it hard to talk about anything else. Russell was insured, but is still struggling to get clear timescales for assessment of damage, repair work and reimbursement. “I understand that they don’t want to over-commit because of the sheer volume of what they are dealing with, but I just get more and more frustrated.” | Steve Russell, whose cottage in nearby Port Elphinstone filled with three feet of flood water, admits that he finds it hard to talk about anything else. Russell was insured, but is still struggling to get clear timescales for assessment of damage, repair work and reimbursement. “I understand that they don’t want to over-commit because of the sheer volume of what they are dealing with, but I just get more and more frustrated.” |
| Related: Scotland hit by further flooding and travel disruption | Related: Scotland hit by further flooding and travel disruption |
| Like all flood victims the Guardian spoke to, he is also fearful of the river rising again. “My concern is that the ground is sodden and it wouldn’t take much for it to happen again. I understand that local government consultations take time but I’d like to see more defences and more communication rather than relying on the goodwill of the community.” | Like all flood victims the Guardian spoke to, he is also fearful of the river rising again. “My concern is that the ground is sodden and it wouldn’t take much for it to happen again. I understand that local government consultations take time but I’d like to see more defences and more communication rather than relying on the goodwill of the community.” |
| In Kemnay, to the west of Inverurie, Alan Davies and his wife, Estelle, have been camping on the upper floor of the home they have lived in for 36 years. Plastic sheeting blocks the stairs to keep fungus spores from spreading from their gutted living room. They had no warning from the council on the night they were flooded, and were only alerted by neighbours at 11pm. | In Kemnay, to the west of Inverurie, Alan Davies and his wife, Estelle, have been camping on the upper floor of the home they have lived in for 36 years. Plastic sheeting blocks the stairs to keep fungus spores from spreading from their gutted living room. They had no warning from the council on the night they were flooded, and were only alerted by neighbours at 11pm. |
| They are frustrated with the council. Alan said: “What action is Aberdeenshire council taking to be better prepared, will they put up temporary flood defences? Their attitude seems to be that it’s not their responsibility.” | They are frustrated with the council. Alan said: “What action is Aberdeenshire council taking to be better prepared, will they put up temporary flood defences? Their attitude seems to be that it’s not their responsibility.” |
| Yet evidence of council work is all around: repairs to Invercauld Bridge, which left the village of Braemar isolated when flood damage forced its closure, were completed within days. A temporary carriageway through adjacent fields to replace part of the A93 which collapsed into the river Dee was built within a fortnight. | Yet evidence of council work is all around: repairs to Invercauld Bridge, which left the village of Braemar isolated when flood damage forced its closure, were completed within days. A temporary carriageway through adjacent fields to replace part of the A93 which collapsed into the river Dee was built within a fortnight. |
| George Eckton, chief sustainability officer for Cosla, Scotland’s local government association, says: “People are working incredibly hard, … but these are highly complex infrastructure schemes, over a wide catchment and requiring a lot of community consultation. Delivery takes time.” | George Eckton, chief sustainability officer for Cosla, Scotland’s local government association, says: “People are working incredibly hard, … but these are highly complex infrastructure schemes, over a wide catchment and requiring a lot of community consultation. Delivery takes time.” |
| Then there is the question of where the money comes from. | Then there is the question of where the money comes from. |
| The distribution of an immediate support package of over £16m from the Scottish government to local authorities seems to have been fuss-free, and both Russell and Davies paused to specifically thank the first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, for their householder grant, which had recently been paid. | The distribution of an immediate support package of over £16m from the Scottish government to local authorities seems to have been fuss-free, and both Russell and Davies paused to specifically thank the first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, for their householder grant, which had recently been paid. |
| While the political aftermath in England has focused on central government cuts to flood defence funding, responsibility for such investment north of the border was transferred back to Scotland’s 32 local authorities by the SNP in 2007. At the time, Scottish Labour warned against the removal of ringfencing for flood defence budgets, as councils struggled with underfunding following the SNP’s council tax freeze. But environmental experts welcomed the move as making the defences more locally attuned. | While the political aftermath in England has focused on central government cuts to flood defence funding, responsibility for such investment north of the border was transferred back to Scotland’s 32 local authorities by the SNP in 2007. At the time, Scottish Labour warned against the removal of ringfencing for flood defence budgets, as councils struggled with underfunding following the SNP’s council tax freeze. But environmental experts welcomed the move as making the defences more locally attuned. |
| Alongside this transfer, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) was tasked with producing flood risk management strategies around the country, and out of those there are now 42 flood protection schemes proposed over the period of 2016 to 2021, costing an estimated £235m. | Alongside this transfer, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) was tasked with producing flood risk management strategies around the country, and out of those there are now 42 flood protection schemes proposed over the period of 2016 to 2021, costing an estimated £235m. |
| Related: Scottish flood defence cuts criticised as Sepa warns of more flooding | Related: Scottish flood defence cuts criticised as Sepa warns of more flooding |
| At the height of the new year floods, the Scottish government’s finance secretary, John Swinney, assured the public that there would be funding within the local government settlement to provide for all of those schemes. Cosla immediately declared itself “baffled” as to where that money was coming from, given that local councils only have notification of their funding for the coming year, which includes a £350m cut, according to December’s draft Scottish budget. | At the height of the new year floods, the Scottish government’s finance secretary, John Swinney, assured the public that there would be funding within the local government settlement to provide for all of those schemes. Cosla immediately declared itself “baffled” as to where that money was coming from, given that local councils only have notification of their funding for the coming year, which includes a £350m cut, according to December’s draft Scottish budget. |
| With Cosla and Swinney in a standoff over those cuts it is difficult for flood-stricken councils to plan ahead. Residents hit by flooding argue that it is hard to know what councils should be funding after the recent devastation fundamentally altered some parts of river catchments. | With Cosla and Swinney in a standoff over those cuts it is difficult for flood-stricken councils to plan ahead. Residents hit by flooding argue that it is hard to know what councils should be funding after the recent devastation fundamentally altered some parts of river catchments. |
| Elliot Robertson, flood-risk planning manager at Sepa, says: “No amount of funding can entirely remove the risk.” He is proud of the strategies that were taken up by local councils before the new year floods. “The most significant thing is that for the first time we know the order in which we should address the problem, so the money councils do have they can spend most wisely.” | Elliot Robertson, flood-risk planning manager at Sepa, says: “No amount of funding can entirely remove the risk.” He is proud of the strategies that were taken up by local councils before the new year floods. “The most significant thing is that for the first time we know the order in which we should address the problem, so the money councils do have they can spend most wisely.” |
| But some communities are concerned that these Sepa plans are already out of date because the rivers have changed shape so dramatically during the floods. In Ballater, to the west of Aberdeen, the Rev David Barr points out the high tide marks on windows and front doors, as dehumidifier pipes poke through letter boxes into the street. | But some communities are concerned that these Sepa plans are already out of date because the rivers have changed shape so dramatically during the floods. In Ballater, to the west of Aberdeen, the Rev David Barr points out the high tide marks on windows and front doors, as dehumidifier pipes poke through letter boxes into the street. |
| “We need Sepa to come and survey the river again because it has changed so much,” he says, pointing out where the force of the “mini-tsunami” has altered the banks by Ballatar’s still devastated riverside caravan park. “We need to have Sepa working with us, not against us.” | “We need Sepa to come and survey the river again because it has changed so much,” he says, pointing out where the force of the “mini-tsunami” has altered the banks by Ballatar’s still devastated riverside caravan park. “We need to have Sepa working with us, not against us.” |
| One solution, says Marc Stutter, of Aberdeen’s environmental research centre the James Hutton Institute, is to consider managing the Dee “almost like a new river”. | One solution, says Marc Stutter, of Aberdeen’s environmental research centre the James Hutton Institute, is to consider managing the Dee “almost like a new river”. |
| “It’s about making the landscape more like a sponge, so you can knock the head off the flood peak next time. Everyone can have a part to play in flood management, whether its putting a flower pot at the end of a drainpipe to slow the run off from gutters in urban areas to managing farmland better in rural areas.” | “It’s about making the landscape more like a sponge, so you can knock the head off the flood peak next time. Everyone can have a part to play in flood management, whether its putting a flower pot at the end of a drainpipe to slow the run off from gutters in urban areas to managing farmland better in rural areas.” |
| But this also means working against decades of received wisdom about how to deal with flooding. “River dredging has been brought up a lot lately, but that’s just pushing the problem further down the catchment. Likewise, tree planting can be great but its not appropriate everywhere.” | But this also means working against decades of received wisdom about how to deal with flooding. “River dredging has been brought up a lot lately, but that’s just pushing the problem further down the catchment. Likewise, tree planting can be great but its not appropriate everywhere.” |
| Eckton agrees: “We need a whole systems approach: to promote peat bogs upstream, anything that would allow the environment to store water more efficiently, and in towns promoting more sustainable urban drainage, rather than large amounts of concrete that doesn’t allow water anywhere to go. | Eckton agrees: “We need a whole systems approach: to promote peat bogs upstream, anything that would allow the environment to store water more efficiently, and in towns promoting more sustainable urban drainage, rather than large amounts of concrete that doesn’t allow water anywhere to go. |
| “Our members are also saying that they have to adapt to climate change and a shorter return period to peak water. But this is a strategy change that will take years, but we need hard defences in the short term too.” | “Our members are also saying that they have to adapt to climate change and a shorter return period to peak water. But this is a strategy change that will take years, but we need hard defences in the short term too.” |
| Both Stutter and Eckton raise the possibility of compensating farmers with riverside land for allowing their fields to flood deliberately. But this is a decision that needs to be taken swiftly, before farmers go to the expense of clearing debris. | Both Stutter and Eckton raise the possibility of compensating farmers with riverside land for allowing their fields to flood deliberately. But this is a decision that needs to be taken swiftly, before farmers go to the expense of clearing debris. |
| Related: Scotland floods: MSP demands greater assistance for 'besieged' communities | Related: Scotland floods: MSP demands greater assistance for 'besieged' communities |
| While public sympathy may converge on those who lost their homes to the rising waters, Aberdeenshire farmers are also counting the cost of broken fencing, drowned livestock and waterlogged ground. | While public sympathy may converge on those who lost their homes to the rising waters, Aberdeenshire farmers are also counting the cost of broken fencing, drowned livestock and waterlogged ground. |
| Further down the Dee from Ballater, at East Cairnton farm, Drumoak, Lewis Anderson wonders how he can meet the cost of removing the thousand tonnes of shingle he estimates the river spewed across his fields. His insurance company has told him that it cannot offer compensation because there has been no actual damage to property. | Further down the Dee from Ballater, at East Cairnton farm, Drumoak, Lewis Anderson wonders how he can meet the cost of removing the thousand tonnes of shingle he estimates the river spewed across his fields. His insurance company has told him that it cannot offer compensation because there has been no actual damage to property. |
| Yet walking across the land is like traversing a rocky riverbed: unless the thick layer of sand is removed, nothing will grow through it, and until every single stone has gone he runs the risk of breaking machinery. | Yet walking across the land is like traversing a rocky riverbed: unless the thick layer of sand is removed, nothing will grow through it, and until every single stone has gone he runs the risk of breaking machinery. |
| Anderson is pragmatic about future flood management. He knows this river well: in the two years that he has been a tenant farmer here the Dee has overtopped 12 times. | Anderson is pragmatic about future flood management. He knows this river well: in the two years that he has been a tenant farmer here the Dee has overtopped 12 times. |
| “It’s happening more frequently, and even if you have barriers you are just pushing the problem further upstream,” he says. “I could leave the land to flood if it was for the greater good, to save houses further down stream then yes, but we would have to be compensated.” | “It’s happening more frequently, and even if you have barriers you are just pushing the problem further upstream,” he says. “I could leave the land to flood if it was for the greater good, to save houses further down stream then yes, but we would have to be compensated.” |
| A journey round the north-east of Scotland reveals stories of extraordinary and ongoing local effort: the Facebook news group Fubar News, whose anonymous editors worked throughout the night to share essential and potentially life-saving detail of rising flood waters and routes to safety, the Ballater charity group The Charitable Chiels which paid out to cover the excess on residents’ insurance - as well as a uniform and profound gratitude to all the emergency services. | |
| The floods brought out a tremendous community ethic support – And that community ethic – and it is ongoing. Clare Bond, a Deeside resident and earth scientist at Aberdeen University, has just launched the Aboyne Bridge Project, which is crowdsourcing photography of the flood and its aftermath to build a detailed minute-by-minute map of water level and debris. Researchers hope that the project could result in an app to assess realtime flood hazard from bystanders’ photos. | |
| Meanwhile, Bond and her four-year-old daughter are managing one of the many undramatic disruptions of the Aberdeenshire floods. With Aboyne’s only nursery flooded out, and no registered child minder in the village, many working parents are struggling. “I have linked up with other mothers for a temporary fix, but that can’t last for six months.”. | |
| Now that the initial adrenalin has subsided, there is a sense of uncertainty locally, says Bond. “My daughter keeps asking me ‘When is your office going to get flooded?’”. |