EPICS Flood in area where diamond lab EPICS meeting was held.

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Tuesday, July 24, 2007

High Water Mark

St Helens Church looks safe at 7 AM this morning, looking down towards the slipway.

The water level has gone up, perhaps 10 or 12 inches since yesterday morning.

Looking back to St Helens Wharf, from Margaret Brown Garden, water laps over the wall at this point. But it looks like Abingdon has escaped the worst case scenario (40 roads flooded). Visible in this picture, the Old Anchor Inn (flooded on Sunday by the River Ock) has escaped a second flooding - just.

So what next? The River Thames is likely to stay at or near this high level for the next day or so. But I don't think the 1894 high water mark near St Helens Church is in danger.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Save our Flood Plain

"Here we are reporting in Abingdon..."

The flood plain stretches behind the ITV reporter.

The crowds, on the bridge, watch some rescue boats helping a boat in difficulty. Most of the boats however are secured with the help of poles installed by a local scaffolding firm. (Dunkirk spirit)

There is no large flood in town yet. The large flood plain on the other side of the River Thames does help. For every inch the water rises on the town side it has to spread half a mile on the other.

Famous buildings have escaped so far. The museum basement got flooded during the deluge on Friday - but that is not very visible from outside.

But some of the, soon to be built, buildings were not quite so lucky. This is the new development next to the River Ock on the Drayton Road.

Flood Watch

For more information on flooding , see

Oxfordshire County Council
Vale District Council
Environment Agency
Abingdon Herald

This is the weir at Abingdon. The Lock Gates are shown here fully raised at 6:30 PM. Today so far:

11:37 (Radio Oxford) - The Iffley Lock keeper reports a 2 inch rise in 30 minutes at Iffley Lock (2 locks up from Abingdon). All the weirs are open but that is not working. It is still on the way up.

11:54 (Radio Oxford)- Abingdon Road in Oxford is starting to flood and will be closed in the next hour. Botley Road is closed. City Centre restriction lifted to allow traffic through.

12:15 - From Vale site - Severe Flood Warnings remain in place for the rivers Ock and Thames in the Vale area, and the latest prediction from the Environment Agency is that flooding will start in the town at around 7pm.

Streets that are likely to be affected include:

Audlett Drive, Bailie Close, Burton Close, Caldecott Road, Chaunterell Way, Coleridge Drive, Culham Road, Drayton Road, East St. Helens Street, Francis Little Drive, Godrey Close, Hermitage Road, Jenyns Court, Manor Court, Marcham Road, Meadowside, Medlicott Drive, Mill Paddock, Mill Road, Mill Stream Court, Musson Close, Nash Drive, Ock Mill Close, Ock Steet, Orpwood Way, Riply Close, Shepherd Gardens, South Quay, St. Amand Drive, St. Helens Wharf, Suffolk Way, Sympsons Close, Tennyson Drive, The Bridge, Thurston Close, Tower Close, Turberville Close, Wilsham Road, Wordsworth Road, and Wyndyke Furlong,

Five teams from the Council are currently delivering 500 sandbags to roads in Abingdon which are most likely to flood and which are not yet protected.

14:15 BBC Reports it will peak at about 2:45 AM tomorrow

18:15 Speak to Abingdon Lock Keeper. He says the river is still rising. He says the whiz kids at the Environment Agency say it will peak at about 11:45 PM now. But he says that the river will have to find its own level. He is doing all he can to help that happen.

This lad is finding his own level by bike at the Abbey Meadow. He got much further than his mates, but didn't get much further.

This is one of the closest houses to the Thames. The river is rising but at 19:45 it has risen an inch or two in the last hour. It is the highest I've seen it but it is not flooding yet - at least not on this side. We haven't yet seen what has been described as the surge.

First Light - waiting

Another new day, and things are looking better than yesterday morning. The predicted surge down the River Thames is not evident. The water level is at the same point as most of yesterday - a few inches beneath the wharf. The longer it is delayed the better it is for the knock-on impact on the River Ock.

Some areas of housing, and the Tesco carpark are still flooded, as are all the fields surrounding Tesco, but the water has receded from Ock Street and Drayton Road.

But, still keep an eye out, the BBC say this morning 'The council, predicting 41 roads are likely to flood in Abingdon, has made sandbags available at the area's local police station and Caldecott School.' The Abingdon Herald has the list of 41 and says it may occur up to '9am on Tuesday.'

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Severe Flood Warning

Both the River Ock and the River Thames are now on Severe Flood Warning. The Almshouses are prepared.

At last light there were still a lot of people watching the water at St Helens Wharf as they have been doing all day. The emergency services have been busy all day.

Evacuees have been moved from The Guildhall, whose bottom floor could flood, to the Kassam Stadium. The evacuee meeting point has moved to Our Lady's Convent at the bottom of Radley Road and, if needed, Thameside School on Cotman Close.

A policeman came to warn our road that we were at risk, and should make some preparations should we be flooded.

Flooded

Some people have been up all night, either flooded out or watching the water rise. This morning a lot of roads are closed or flooded.

Caldecott is virtually an island: The Drayton Road is flooded.

Ock Street is flooded as are residences either side

Spring Road is flooded at the bottom.

Much of Ladygrove Estate is flooded, and water is still rolling into Wordsworth Road on the Tithe Farm estate. People are just watching it inch up nearer their houses, hoping it will stop. The peak is reported to be 3 PM this afternoon.

The Hermitage Road estate is flooded, as are Turbeville Close. The elderly people from places like Cygnet Court and Ladygrove Paddock were evacuated last night and taken initially to the Guildhall. Some have been collected by relatives. Some have been found housing by the Vale. Others will be there for another night, and may be joined by others if the flooding continues to get worse.

The Thames is not such a problem yet. It could be within another 24 hours.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Flood Warning

Tesco carpark is underwater. People were being hurried out from 9:30 PM. A tide of water was coming across the carpark from the direction of the River Ock.

This all happened within minutes. It must have taken everybody by suprise.

The environment agency has a Flood Warning out for the River Ock: Flooding expected affecting homes, businesses and main roads. Act now!

Subject:	Flood in area where diamond lab EPICS meeting was held.
From:	"Thompson, David H." <[email protected]>
To:	[email protected]
Date:	Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:01:49 -0400

Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System

Some of the pictures in this blog are in areas that are familiar to those in attendance.

I have not heard if anyone from Diamond lab is being affected.

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This Abingdon

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