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Does cutting down trees help with flood defences?

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  • 19-02-2020 2:37pm
    #1
    Ceirseach
    Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭


    I see the OPW are starting a new phase of flood defences in Athlone.
    Starting of course with cutting down trees.
    This time it’s young beech trees along the banks of the canal at Aloysius.
    Is there any logic to this?
    Do trees not soak up water?
    Have Westmeath county council given the OPW an open invitation to contract out tree cutting?


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    #2
    FishOnABike
    Registered Users Posts: 4,378 ✭✭✭FishOnABike


    I would have thought that would increase the runoff rate and contribute to flash flooding. Other than trees which are blocking a waterway I thought it would be better having trees than not.


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    #3
    Anesthetize
    Registered Users Posts: 1,461 ✭✭✭Anesthetize


    Don't know about flood defences, but trees produce oxygen to help us breathe.


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    #4
    rn
    Registered Users Posts: 1,058 ✭✭✭rn


    Generally trees make it difficult to build anything. If they are on sides, they would impede water flow.

    You have to take a practical look at the area, the trees are a loss. Flood defence is a must.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Trees aren't soaking anything up at the moment - they are dormant.


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    #6
    Reciprocity
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭Reciprocity


    rn wrote: »
    You have to take a practical look at the area, the trees are a loss. Flood defence is a must.

    Yes you do "have to take a practical look at the area" - before you build or buy your house in a flood plain.

    Why is "flood defence a must"?
    You can't buy a house in a flood plain and then expect the taxpayer to build flood defences or to bail you out when the flood plain floods. That's what flood plains are made - by nature - to do.

    Pun intended. :)

    I am sorry for people affected by flooding but nature is nature. There is only ever going to be one winner if we try to fight it. Stop building or buying houses in flood plains.


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    #7
    roosterman71
    Registered Users Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭roosterman71


    The flooding of the last decade is worse than has been recorded before I believe. What you are saying is Athlone,a nd any town built by a river/lake should be abandoned! You can build on a flood plain if it's above the water level. You have to take into account that the water must go somewhere no you've taken the flood plain.

    Back to the original question. Cutting down trees along the banks will not make flooding worse, nor will it improve it (unless the roots are blocking drainage or something). More trees need to be planted on higher ground, which would help slow the water flowing from hills/mountains to the lower levels so quickly, thus rising the river/lake faster.

    And the river should be cleaned too so that the water can flow freer and get to the sea faster.


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