h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Prehistoric forest uncovered by storms in Cardigan Bay - in pictures


The skeletal trees of Borth forest – last alive 4,500 years ago and linked to lost kingdom of Cantre’r Gwaelod – appear at shoreline

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/20/prehistoric-forest-borth-cardigan-bay-wales

That shows the reality of sea level rise in the last 4,500 years.

It does which is also a reality check. Also amazing to see in an archaeological and geological context.

Could it also be silting up of a shallow bay?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/flooding/10655005/The-flooding-of-the-Somerset-Levels-was-deliberately-engineered.html

Thanks for that AB. Though I doubt that it was the writer's intention, that article has given me the biggest laugh I've had all day.

Top class baised insanity on display there.


Geggs

If the writer spun any faster they would create their own sink hole. inter-party bickering about who's fault it is does nothing and just gives the current bunch an excuse for further delay.

My take on the whole flooding issue is

Governments of both parties have been cutting budgets for river works and flood defences for the last 30+ years at least.

There was a massive increase in spending / investment after the 1953 floods and since then money has been pared back bit by bit.

Yes some big schemes did get approved and completed after that, The Thames barrier being the biggest / most well known.

Somewhere back in the 70s / 80s it was realized that is was technically and financially impossible to protect everywhere.
This was seen as Manna from heaven by the treasury and assorted other financial bods.
Who have ever since then proceed to squeeze the budget tighter and tighter whilst keeping their fingers crossed behind their backs that a major event wouldn't happen on their watch.

Guess what...
The current lot got caught with the hot potato.

The same process goes on in all aspects of public infrastructure, cut follows cut follows cut, Standards get adjusted to meet the current budget, until some major incident happens when they all try to run away, privatise it or otherwise wash their hands of it.

If they can't do that they then have to put money in and the cycle starts again.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/10610118/Unsung-heroes-gave-Owen-Paterson-his-solution-to-the-Somerset-floods-crisis.html

conspiracy theories are aboutwas the flooding "deliberate" ?