2012 was a record year for rainfall
Flooding in Selkirk's Southport.
SELKIRKSHIRE experienced its wettest year since Met Office records began over 100 years ago last year.
The area saw 1,613.3mm of rain fall throughout 2012 which, at 120 per cent, was about a fifth wetter than average.
The area’s second wettest year was 2011 when the rainfall was 1,602.4mm, and 2008 was the third wettest recorded since Met Office records began in 1910.
Scottish Borders Council (SBC) has spent about £1million so far on roads, infrastructure and help across the region because of the rain.
And executive member for roads and infrastructure, Selkirk councillor Gordon Edgar said: “It’s been quite serious for the council: there has been a lot of damage to roads. Because of the amount of rain it’s been almost impossible to drain it off the roads and we have had quite a number of serious problems arise from this.”
Councillor Edgar said the council is hoping to get approval from the Scottish Government for a £20million flood protection scheme for Selkirk from St Mary’s Loch to past Lindean.
“If we get the go-ahead it will protect a lot of properties.
“We have to accept we can’t stop flooding but we can try and protect against it.”
Neighbouring Peeblesshire also experienced record-breaking rainfall as did Berwickshire, while for Roxburghshire 2012 was the third wettest year on record.
A SBC spokesman said 2012 had brought about a greater public awareness about being prepared for flooding through the council’s Resilient Communities initiative.
He said: “There was a huge take up of our Resilient Communities plans. The perception was that these plans were for winter weather and we continually reinforced the point that they were for all year events, which last year proved correct. We implemented more plans due to the summer and autumn rainfall.”
He said SBC is the only local authority in Scotland to offer the public flood prevention products for residents and businesses at cost price.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Selkirk
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Heavy rain
Temperature: 8 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
