Yeoman’s cafe was back in business today, but some other businesses remained closed following Friday’s flood. Over the weekend I did a bit of research on flood warning alarms. A resident has agreed to play host to an alarm near to where Ugley Brook enters the culvert at the northern end of Lower Street. The scene there was very different today from that on Friday morning.

After the flood; the culvert at low water.

I heard today that Thames Water was investigating the culvert on Friday morning at its southern end, where it enters Stansted Brook. Apparently sewers were not working and sewerage was flowing backwards and out from the toilets in some premises. Carpets were damaged by this unpleasant side effect.

I photographed the far end of the culvert this afternoon. It disgorges Ugley Brook into Stansted Brook where it emerges from under the Hilton site that (it is hoped) will become the new health centre site.

Ugley Brook culvert disgorges into Stansted Brook at the edge of the Hilton/future health centre site.

The height of Stansted Brook will affect the effectiveness of the culvert. If the main brook is in full flood, as it was on Friday, it will slow the flow of Ugley Brook through the culvert and aggravate the risk of flooding in Lower Street. I will be calling for a report on how these two water courses work during the sort of high flood we saw on Friday in case measures can be taken to reduce flooding in the centre of the village.

For instance, would it be possible to hold back water on the flood plane to the north of Elms Farm? What impact would that have on the housing planned for that area? It was badly flooded on Friday.

Flooding at Elms Farm last Friday.

I spoke on Friday to the agent for the planned Elms Farm development, suggesting that they assess whether this latest flood would have affected the future homes or whether, the houses will be above this high water level.

Elms Farm footpath submerged by the flood.