Norfolk Surge – The Day After On The Norfolk Broads!

Thankfully the North sea storm surge passed without any apparent loss of life in our area, with EA officials saying that some of the levels were actually recorded higher than the devastating floods of 1953! It shows that despite the moan and groans about the EA, the now defunct NRA and even the old water authorities that during the last sixty years money has been well spent on our coastal sea defences. Yes we all know that a tidal river barrier at Great Yarmouth would prevent the ingress of salt water into the fragile environment that makes up the Norfolk Broads, will it ever happen? I doubt it in my lifetime especially in these prudent times that we now live in but that aside the EA, Police, Fire Service and even the army plus the masses of voluntary organisations have done a brilliant job in our area – hats off to each and every one of you.

Right now onto the problem of saltwater entering the Broadland area, I’ve been out and about today looking at areas around the Thurne, Ant & Bure systems and have to say that at the moment the rivers although high are contained inside there banks, the EA fishery team were spotted at Potter Heigham boat basin early this morning so hopefully all the relevant fish barriers will have been put in place in plenty of time. I haven’t been able to get around the Yare or Waveney areas yet but those systems will undoubtedly carry a lot more of the initial tidal influence to start with! So far I have not found any evidence of dead fish in the areas I have visited but that still my come as the salt works its way up stream into those areas.

Will keep you all informed over the coming days, below are a few photographs of the Thurne area before and after the last high tide today, another high tide is due late this evening although evidence does seem to show this will be a more normal high Spring one!