Intense thunderstorms are comparatively rare and often so localised that flash flooding is both unpredictable and a complete surprise. However, the damage can be devastating for those involved, and can take months to repair, even though the water level can rise and disappear again within an hour.
More intense rainfall as a result of climate change is only part of the reason for the increase in flash flooding incidents; lack of parking spaces in towns, easy garden maintenance and the fashion for decking are others.
Each front or back garden paved over may only make a marginal difference to the overwhelming of the drains down the road, but hundreds of hard standings together can create a flash flood.
Similar calculations can be made for the heat island effect and pollution. More concrete and less grass add up to warmer nights and worsening pollution.
Exhorting people to avoid paving over their gardens does not appear to work, so Alister Scott, Professor of Environment and Spatial Planning at Birmingham City University, suggests financial incentives, rewarding people, or making them pay for the costs of their actions.
He proposes that people who keeps their gardens green and soak up the rain as it falls should get a reduction in council tax. Those with garden decking and impermeable driveways should pay more water charges for putting an extra strain on the drainage system.
He says this would provide incentives to do the right thing in the same way as farmers get extra payments for providing environmental benefits to help wildlife.
