Recent Flooding in Ireland: Hydro-Climatic
aspects and associated impacts
Link to slides: http://www.irishmetsociety.org/images/stories/IMS/PDF/Flooding%20Talk%20March%202016.pdf
Darren Clarke and myself
Simon Noone gave a recent talk to the Irish Meteorological Society (IMS) in the
Customs House, Dublin. The public lecture gave some insights into the causes
and effects of the recent widespread flooding by looking through the lens of
each of their areas of expertise. There was a good attendance of about 40
people from Met Éireann staff, engineers
and even pilots to climate enthusiasts. After the talk we
both responded to some interesting comments and received very positive
feedback. We would like to thank Paul Halton and his colleagues at the IMS for
inviting us and for their hospitality. For the lecture Darren
focused on the social impacts of flooding and asked whether the current
national approach to managing flood risks is fit for purpose. Darren is
examining how societies adapt to climate change, specifically focusing on
community adaptation to flood risk management strategies in Ireland. I discussed the flooding in the context of the
long-term hydrological cycle, how recent events fit into the historical
record and what, if any, trends are emerging. The recent rainfall extremes of late 2013/14 and 2015
were put into context over the longer term, using the recently updated Island
of Ireland Precipitation (IIP) series 1850-2015.
Key
hydro-climatic results presented:
•
• Results indicate statistically significant increasing
trends in winter and decreasing trends in summer precipitation.
• Across 13 IIP stations (mainly in west) so far 2014 was
the wettest winter (Dec 2014, Jan/ Feb 2015) in Ireland over the past 165 years (see table 1).
• 2015 has seen the wettest December at 16 IIP stations over
the past 165 years and 2015 ranked either 2nd or 3rd for
the other 9 IIP stations (see table 2).
• However, December 1978 was the wettest across eastern
IIP stations (see table 2).
Table 1. Presents the
wettest and driest seasons from 1850-2015 using the IIP series.
Table 2. Presents the wettest December from 1850-2015 and
corresponding standardized monthly anomaly for each of the IIP stations.
Key
results on social impacts presented:
·
The economic impacts of flooding
currently dominate policy, political and media debates at the expense of social
costs such as physical and mental well-being. However, understanding the social
impacts of flooding is crucial as the effects last long after a flood has
receded
·
Greater attention to non-engineered
flood defences will be needed in the coming decades if flood risks are to be
managed sustainably and fairly.
·
The provision of flood insurance is
likely to remain a contentious issue for those unable to avail of flood
insurance nationally. The implementation of a flood re-insurance scheme as
exists in the UK and France may be difficult to implement in Ireland for
social, political and economic reasons.
·
Understanding of the local context in
which new flood defences are to be located and the value of community input
will be crucial if flood authorities are to be considered as legitimate both
now and in the future.
