The Environment Agency has urged people in Pannal and Burn Bridge to act now to avoid the impact of flooding.
The government agency issued a flood warning for areas alongside the River Crimple at 4.14am this morning.
Flood warnings are more severe than flood alerts and indicate flooding is imminent.
It said:
“River levels are rising rapidly on the River Nidd due to rainfall associated with Storm Babet.
“Areas most at risk include properties on Station Road, Malthouse Lane and Crimple Meadows. Further rainfall is expected throughout the day.
“Our incident room is open and we are closely monitoring the situation.”
A less severe flood alert has been issued for the Upper Nidd Catchment area (see above).
Rain is predicted all day before drier weather tomorrow.
The Environment Agency said:
“Avoid using low lying footpaths and any bridges near local watercourses and do not attempt to walk or drive through flood water.”
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What to do if you get a flood warning
This is the Environment Agency advice.
A flood warning means you need to act: flooding is expected. You should do all the actions for a flood alert, but also:
- move vehicles to higher ground if it’s safe to do so
- move family and pets to safety
- move important items upstairs or to a safe place in your property, starting with cherished items and valuables, then furniture and furnishings
- turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if it’s safe to do so; never touch an electrical switch if you’re standing in water
- if you have property protection products such as flood barriers, or air brick covers, use them now
- keep track of the latest flood risk situation
A housing developer has apologised after debris from its site near Harrogate entered a nearby waterway.
Polystyrene and plastic from the 72-home Yorkshire Housing site at Spofforth was floating in the River Crimple in the village over the weekend.
Yorkshire Housing was granted permission to build the homes at Massey Fold in October 2021 after a long-running campaign by some villagers against the development.
Litter strewn across the river and the nearby area. Pic: @spofforthmark
The organisation, which owns and manages about 20,000 homes, said in a statement:
“On Friday, some insulation blew open in the high winds and broke up. The contractor notified the Environment Agency straight away to let them know what had happened.
“Because of the stormy weather over the weekend it wasn’t safe to retrieve and clear-up the debris until this morning. We’re working quickly to do this.
“Windy weather isn’t an excuse and this shouldn’t have happened. We’ve discussed this with the contractor who will ensure any loose materials are secure to prevent this happening again.”
Signs on site say the development, known as Bridgewell, will consist of two, three and four-bedroom homes built in partnership with construction company the Jack Lunn Group and the non-departmental housing agency Homes England.
Villager Mark Lee raised concerns about the incident on social media.
Devastating pollution in Spofforth today, waste and debris from the new development by @JackLunnGroup @HomesEngland @yhousing @EdwardArch the river Crimple is actually blocked by your mismanagement and carelessness! @ClimateDesk @thestrayferret @Harrogate_News @UnderwaterMedia pic.twitter.com/IiszgX96hV
— mark lee (@spofforthmark) February 19, 2023
Conservationist Keith Wilkinson, who is chairman of Nidd Gorge Advisory Partnership and honorary secretary of Bilton Conservation Group, said the incident reinforced the need to look holistically at problems associated with Harrogate’s three rivers — the Nidd, Crimple and Oak Beck.
Mr Wilkinson said contamination from the Nidd tributaries inevitably impacted on the Nidd itself and therefore it would be better to adopt a more strategic view to managing water quality.
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