PHOTO Survey of the aftermath of Storm Desmond
This is detailed Photographic Survey of the aftermath of the flooding event of 5th Dec. 2015, when MILLHOUSE was lagoon-ed to the height of the keystone of the single arch road bridge by storm DESMOND, causing devastating, (no joke) flooding for the residents of 6 homes.

Despite some desperate fabricated hoodwinking, (play-down) attempts by certain individuals, (using very unauthentic photos) it is important to note: 
In reality, there are NO photos of the actual crescendo of Storm Desmond in existence,
simply because the "whole of the devastating flooding event occurred during the winter hours of darkness", 6.30pm on-wards.  

The following detailed Photo survey of the "aftermath" flood water levels, registered by all the tel-tale debris lines, was carried out soon after the December event.   Compiled 5th Jan. 2016
Storm Desmond reaped havoc with 48 hours of relentless heavy rain-fall throughout Cumbria, including our village, on Friday 4th & Saturday 5th Dec. 2015.
The Environment Agency did not have time to visit the village of MILLHOUSE to view the devastation or get involved until mid February.
This quite unique and intricate photo Survey was carried out together with this website compilation soon after the storm Desmond flooding event, with the full intentions of it being a vital aid to provide realistic information to the Environment Agency, to enable a necessary fast-track remedial plan to be promptly put in to action. 

To date, NO such (credible) plan has been instigated.
Therefore, this website will continue to campaign for the complete eradication of the reintroduced flooding phenomenon, to revive the very achievable flood resilience and sustainable welfare, for and on behalf of the precious deserving residents of MILLHOUSE , for as long as it takes.

The survey clearly demonstrates how the 4th flooding event in one decade, evolved from the recently introduced stacking phenomenon of the River Caldew,  yet again causing quite unnecessary and preventable devastation to numerous homes and people in MILLHOUSE.

If you do understand the laws of gravity, and the associated characteristics of how water "always" finds it's own level, cross-reference levels, (how a spirit level works) then you'll understand the following detailed factual indisputable photographic demonstration.
The 120 year old low capacity bridge was engulfed to it's keystone, causing stacking and huge over-topping of the defense bank, lagooning the village within the short time of 10 minutes during the crescendo of storm Desmond which occurred during the hours of darkness, 6.30pm on-wards.   

For more about the history, plus the very realistic negative characteristics of MILLHOUSE bridge, visit  "the Bridges" page.  https://www.millhouse-hesketnewmarket.com/the-bridges
The 2 upward arrows clearly indicate the created similarity of the heights of the top of the flood defense bank constructed in the early 1970's, and the top of a wall which was constructed, (without any form of planning/environmental consent 2003/4)  just before flooding was reintroduced to MILLHOUSE on 7th January 2005, when it caused unprecedented stacking onto land upstream, (even inducing serious stacking in the Gillcambon beck).
also on:
20th November 2009,    (flowing around the top end of the flood defense bank on the first 2 occasions)
22nd June 2012,     

and Storm Desmond when it actually over-topped the defense bank in huge volume,
during the hours of darkness on the evening of Saturday 5th December 2015.
The downward arrow clearly indicates the yellow grass tide mark on the lawn which was created by debris lying on the grass for a few days before being cleared. 

The grass was starved from daylight during this time, which naturally changes it's colour to yellow.  It levels out to be equal height to the "wall top" beside the gate posts.
It also levels out to be equal to the key stones of the bridge arch, and lagooned levels experienced in the village.
The debris water line mark on the lawn was still clearly evident several weeks after Storm Desmond.
The arrow indicates the yellow water line mark which was naturally created by debris covering the grass for a few days after the event.
The yellow, daylight starved line being revealed when the debris were cleared.

Not even a sophisticated hi-tech professional laser survey would have recognized the realistic flood water line on the lawn, indicated by the arrow.  And this survey is openly available here in the public domain for every one to view.   Not just confined to the usual closed shop environment of a surveyors office and data.  And now that its in the public domain it won't be forgotten about.

We would welcome anyone who has a laser level or theodolite, to check out these levels for themselves,
(a) the key stone of the bridge,
(b) the "top" of the newly constructed obstruction wall,
(c) the front door step of Sunlea,
(d) and the level experienced in the victims flooded homes. 
(apparently 83cm in Fellview, and probably much deeper in at least one (lower lying) of the other 5 homes)
"In very simple factual terms, the whole of the village was lagoon-ed to the level indicated by the downward arrow, which is 2ft or more, higher than the top of the flood defense bank/bund".
This is a google earth image dated: January 2003,
which clearly shows the area "before the wall and raised level drive was constructed".

The aerial photo below was taken in 1997 prior to the errection of the obstructing wall and raised drive.   During these times, when the bridge became overwelmed the overflowing river used to free-flow across the road into the ajacent field.

The arrows indicate the route of the original overflow/by-pass for the overwelmed bridge.

The overflow/by-pass path was integrated into the design and construction of the bridge in the 1890's.
Also, this overflow path to the orriginal flood plain was integrated into the design of the flood defense bank construction project in the 1960's by the Cumberland River Authority.
The overflowing river water used to flow across the highway as a surface torrent at this point, through the gate into the adjacent low lying field which has served as the flood plain for MILLHOUSE since both the bridge and the defense bank were constructed.

( Until it was obstructed by the wall).
This low lying field has served as the village flood plain ever since MILLHOUSE and time united.

Simply just reinstate the bridge overflow access to it, and it will continue to carryout it's eternal function.
And if you are pinning your hopes on the recently installed experimental micro slot in the preliminary wall by the Environment Agency, think again,
as realistically it is miles from being man-enough to cope with the sizable river overflow/stacking as experienced during the 3 previous flooding events. 

It is half-hardheartedly already almost blocked by the vigorous growth of the shrubs behind it.  And because of it's minute size and minimal flow capacity, realistically its intended function is certain to be overwhelmed and blocked by floating tree branches and associated debris within the first few moments of the river bursting it's bank, which will be experienced during the very next flooding event.
The inefficient size of this small slot is an insult to the innocent people of MILLHOUSE

The overflowing river used to flow freely across the road into the low lying field as a surface torrent at this point.
The land owners have been blatantly adamant, (for self preservation and cosmetic reasons), (audio record) that they would NOT allow a (crucial) larger bypass provision in this preliminary wall,  OR , their later wall/raised drive, (built during 2003-04), which would have undone their created inadvertent blockage of the bridge overflow bypass route.
Instead they requested that the victims, and the E.A. should seek alternative flood preventive methods for MILLHOUSE.

Please Mr Lawton @ the Environment Agency, you really do need to waken up to reality,  to the fact of the sheer enormity of the huge overflow volume induced by the funnelling/stacking of the overwhelmed bridge during these extreme storm times, and before the next one.
"The No. 1 Golden Eternal rule created by earth's natural gravitational force" :-
Water does "always" find its own level, from all directions, without exception.

The Simple facts :-  If the overflowing river water can't get through this original overflow route,  then it is sure to find the next easiest route,  which sadly is over the defense bank into the village.
When the arch of our 120 year old MILLHOUSE bridge becomes overwhelmed, (now inadvertently deprived of any credible form of overflow path)  it launches a rapid multiplying funnelling/stacking effect.  
(Same as Eamont bridge, and Pooley Bridge which collapsed)

Just a simple experiment with a household funnel will reveal that it has limitations of how much flow capacity it can handle. When the liquid "input" is increased, the "output" flowrate does not follow up, but remains minimal, the funnel then stacks and overflows.
For more about the history, plus the realistic negative characteristics of MILLHOUSE bridge, visit  "the Bridges" page.  https://www.millhouse-hesketnewmarket.com/the-bridges
When the Caldew stacked to unprecendented levels, it overtopped the defence bank in huge volume for almost it's entire length during the crescendo of Storm Desmond. 

The adjacent parallel positioned fence was left with almost a meter in height of debris clinging to it.

This picture alone, demonstrates clear proof of the enormity of the overtopping.
The key stones of the 120 year old bridge have been worn bare by the swell and floating debris trying to get underneath.

The worn key stones are clear evidence that the lagoon-ed level of flood water in the village and victim's homes was in fact equal to the level of the top of the arch of the bridge, indicated by the arrow,
and to the top of the newly constructed obstructing garden wall.

Prior to the January 2005 flooding event, MILLHOUSE enjoyed well over 40 years holiday from flooding from the river since the flood defence bank was installed in the 1960's.
The garden wall on the western side of the bridge was built between January 2003 and December 2004, from when the flooding phenomenon returned in 2005. 
The new wall, (of non-local stone) and raised level drive obstructed the overflow/by-pass of the bridge for the first time in half a century in January 2005,  when several homes in the village were devastated by the reintroduced flooding from the river.
The wall again obstructed the overflow path on 20th November 2009,  22nd June 2012, causing serious stacking onto up-steam land, in turn actually flowing around the top end of the flood defence bank into the village.
Then on 5th December 2015, over-topping the flood defence bank in huge volume.

Perhaps if the builders of the obstruction wall were suffering from the devastation of (no joke) flooding to their own home because it,   (in the current routine and repetitive frequency)   they would have a very different attitude. 
SUMMARY

(a)      To date, a credible, (substantial) alternative western side overflow/by-pass path to transfer stacking flood water from the inlet side of the overwhelmed 120 year old low capacity bridge to the original flood plain/field, (indicated by google earth above) has NOT yet been created.

Despite promises of such, by the Environment Agency, (Iwan Lawton) in the spring of 2018, to date the project has failed to materialize, and again the winter (storm season) is upon us.

(b)      Apart from the addition of the "Experimental Micro Slot", the obstruction wall still remains in the same format.

Therefore once again, the obstruction wall maintains the very same potential to deprive the bridge of it's original overflow path, ripe to cause the river to stack and flood MILLHOUSE yet again either this year or next year, (for a 5th time since the construction of the unauthorized wall)  during the very next Atlantic sourced, Jet-stream fueled, relentless rain storm.
 
We have routinely experienced these extreme (named) storms at a regular frequency of every 3 to 4 years during the past decade.
(c)    Despite the proven indisputable factual details in the survey above, and the experienced frequency of the 4 previous flooding events to the village within the space of a decade, it would appear that the Environment Agency intend to just sit back for a 5th time and watch a reocurrence of the village being swamped by flood water during the next "named" jet stream induced extreme storm.
(d)    The sooner the original overflow/by-pass route for the river Caldew bridge is reinstated, the sooner the properties in MILLHOUSE will actually become desirable and marketable, (as they used to be).
Sadly, another flooding event and more hardship may have to be experienced before the-powers-that-be individuals are completely convinced about the very realistic and proven facts laid out on the pages of this website.
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