With storms increasing year on year due to climate change and environmental degradation, national TV station TG4 are due to air the documentary, ‘Tuilte’ which focuses on flooding and the costs associated with it.
Dr Burke points out that floods are natural and will happen but there are measures we can put in place to minimise damage.
Hard Engineering Measures such as heightening walls, dredging rivers and putting embankments in place can be used to protect towns and cities.
Nature Based Solutions are effective once we understand that what happens up-river affects what happens down-river.
By restoring upland environments we can reduce the speed and volume of water spilling downstream.
- Healthy peatlands help absorb and regulate the release of water downhill.
- Planting trees will also hold water in higher ground.
- Improving soil quality also reduces the speed at which water washes downstream.
Find out more about Tuilte here
