§ 62. Mr. Sparksasked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence of flooding this winter in the Thames Valley area.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsA detailed report on the recent floods has been received from 37 and discussed with the Thames Conservancy. In general, when the flow of the river at Teddington is 5,000 million gallons per day, the river is bank-high throughout its length. The rate of flow exceeded this figure for 29 successive days, from 11th March, and 10,000 million gallons per day for nine successive days, rising to a peak flow of 13,600 million gallons per day. No reasonably practical scheme of works could avert flooding in such circumstances.
§ Mr. BerryIs my right hon. Friend aware that this flood has only been equalled twice in the last 75 years?
§ Mr. WilliamsYes, I am satisfied from information handed on to me that if the Thames had been completely empty when the floods commenced, there still would have been flooding.