Rethink needed on flood defences

I WRITE about the piece about the extension of the flood prevention scheme (“£10m flood defences could bring 1,000 jobs”, February 19).

The so-called “Our City Our River” scheme imposed upon successive councils by the Environment Agency has not been an unqualified success so far. Furthermore, since the barrier at Alvaston was installed in 1932, floods in the city have never been as serious as they were by any means. I quote from an account of that in 1740 (from the Derby Mercury, Dec 19-23, 1740):

“On Tuesday last, we had the greatest inundation of water here that ever was known, occasioned by the falling of a great quantity of snow and rain, which began on Sunday, and continued (almost without intermission) till Tuesday morning, at which time several streets, and all the rooms upon the ground floor were laid a great depth under water. Great damage was done to the houses and furniture; several walls were thrown down; bridges and great quantities of wood carried away, and great numbers of cattle swept from pastures perished.’

Nothing on this scale has occurred since, neither in 1841 nor in 1932. As recorded in copious weather notes by John Whitehurst and others, the weather then was frequently far more catastrophic than today, mainly as a result of the “Little Ice Age”, a much cooler and wetter period ushered in with the 1340s Climate Anomaly which caused immense problems for England then.

The flood of November 8-9, 2019, was serious, but nothing like as bad as 1740, for we are fast emerging from the climate anomaly - “global warming”. Nevertheless, by walling the Derwent in, the Environment Agency has produced an unintended consequence: in 2019 the floodwaters, confined to the river, rushed down over the weir and flooded The Meadows industrial estate, which had previously remained dry for almost a century.

Normally minor flooding of the city’s streets prevents this. As it was, numerous businesses were flooded out and I know of at least one that was ended by it and another which had to move elsewhere. The proprietor of another tells me he had asked the council whether flood insurance would be necessary when he took his lease and was assured it was not.

Consequently he lost almost everything. Bamford’s, where I work, was disastrously affected, but fortunately was insured.

Nevertheless the damage caused has only last week finished being put right, seriously affecting business.

The next phase will see an overflow channel being run across Canary Island (Derwent St East/ Exeter Place) with the destruction of three locally listed buildings, including the magnificent Exeter House flats, an Art-Deco monument to the desire of a previous more enlightened council to house their poorer citizens in a location of some beauty with splendid views. It would never have been built in such a situation today.

In my view, the £10 million will be our money ill-spent - unless, of course, some flood prevention measures are to be put in place for The Meadows, to protect the livelihoods of the council’s valuable but sorely put-upon industrial tenants and their staff.

A fundamental rethink is surely imperative.

Max Craven, Littleover