Essay by Eric Worrall
Joined up thinking doesn’t appear to be a feature of post Brexit waterway management.
This waterlogged corner of England was once only habitable during summer. Climate change could make it so again
Published: February 20, 2026 11.57pm AEDT
Jess Neumann
Associate Professor of Hydrology, University of ReadingStanding on the hills looking out across flat green fields, linked by a network of hedgerows, copses and small settlements, the Somerset Levels looks like quintessential English countryside.
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Right now, the levels are experiencing extensive flooding, stretching for miles on all sides of any roads that are still open to vehicles. Communities are trying to cope with a relentlessly wet winter halting transport, closing schools and leaving homes underwater, underpinned by a longer-term cycle of climate and sea-level change.
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Draining of the levels
Large-scale and coordinated drainage of the Somerset Levels began around the 12th century and brought about a gradual end to seasonal occupation. River embankments were constructed to reduce tidal flooding and sluices were built to manage water flow.
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Today, pumping remains essential to manage flood risk. Dredging, however, remains a politically contentious issue and is only used as a carefully considered method in certain places. While dredging can benefit local flood risk in the short term, the longer-term implications for nature, water quality, downstream flood risk and economic cost are now widely known.
Read more: https://theconversation.com/this-waterlogged-corner-of-england-was-once-only-habitable-during-summer-climate-change-could-make-it-so-again-275995
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A decade ago, EU regulations were blamed for impeding the dredging required to keep the waterways flowing.
But now the EU is gone, at least in terms of its power to dictate policy to Britain.
Why are British politicians still punishing people who live in vulnerable regions, by failing to protect their homes? Is dredging really worse than someone having their home and possessions flooded? What am I not understanding about this situation?
