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derekdainton
deleted
579 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Jul 2013 : 07:33:40
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A webcam to monitor water levels in Black Ditch. What a brilliant idea.
We all look forward to the early footage of it being vandalised.
The Parish Council could, as an alternative, look out of the window to see if it's raining heavily. |
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Atomius
Junior Member
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2013 : 17:45:35
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| Apparently, according to the Littlehampton Gazette, this webcam cost 3000 pounds. Now call me out of date but surely a run of the mill webcam (bearing in mind this is purely to monitor water levels) costs what 20 quid? Free website hosting exists if you don't mind a couple of banner ads. So... 3000 pounds? Really? |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2013 : 17:56:14
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| An all-weather high definition webcam will cost a lot more than £20. In addition, transmission equipment will be required plus a means of powering it. It may also need security housing plus, of course, the cost of installation, testing, adjusting, etc. |
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patty
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
738 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2013 : 21:27:51
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I wonder if the people who live in Water Lane, whose properties have been flooded out each time the village floods would feel the same about £3000 being spent on a webcam, which could give them some prior warning? I am sure they will be quite pleased that things appear to be happening towards trying to avoid them and others the distress and expense that flooding causes.
Yes Neil, you are quite correct. The webcam is housed in a very strong casing and there are lots of other things that have to be considered to make it safe and secure together with the monitoring program.
The Environment Agency have been excellent since the last flooding and their support is very appreciated. They are the people taking charge of this project and I have every confidence that they know exactly what they are doing.
When it rains these days, someone has to physically check the levels at the culvert entrance which is often done during the day by members of the emergency committtee and shop keepers. I can assure you it is no fun doing this in torrential rain.
During the night, it is done by the Environment agency who inspect it regularly at times such as 2, 3 and 4o'clock in the morning.
We are paying for that. Once the webcam is in place, it relieves those people to do other jobs ensuring even greater back up against the flooding.
So much work is being done in the background on this problem, and everyone is aware that no one thing is going to solve our problem over all. We need to keep chipping away at everything we can that will help, while we push on for the larger things.
This project will free up people to do more important things and also allow a much better montoring of the culvert.
Please dont knock it. Please lets look on this as a very positive step towards our flooding problems. |
any comments and views listed above are those of myself personally and not as a Parish Councillor, and in no way reflect opinions of the Parish Council or any other professional bodies |
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Atomius
Junior Member
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2013 : 09:05:13
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I daresay this is all rather preposterous and silly anyway, seeing as if the Black Ditch had risen sharply, those living thereabouts would observe this, prior to any flooding. Besides floods can't be predicted, as with all weather. Why not simply cover the creek with some concrete to prevent it spilling, or making a dam somewhere like any sane human would do?
And as for security housing there is a little thing called a tree they invented a while ago. Anybody who wants to vandalise a webcam in the bush is obviously stupid and bored enough to vandalise shops in town. All webcams are 'all-weather', and if a bit of rain affected the signal then I would severely advise giving a jolly good talking to the manufacturer of said article!
Besides isn't this all rather silly anyway? Floods rarely occur, and when they do you can't do anything about them anyway. A couple of hours prior warning isn't going to save your houses. I think one can see why there are so many problems in this world when people think it costs 3000 pounds to install a webcam for goodness sake. Either that or these environment agents are very highly paid. My Jobseekers is 56 pounds a week. One suspects Mr Cameron is being rather a suckup to this agency...
Bah... Well at any rate I say it's a waste of funds. If this was Simcity I'd tell the humans to move uphill if they want to avoid floods for goodness sake. If you live by a creek it will flood time to time... And complaining about a spot of rain? Really? Please. Compared to cycling on roads infested with blasted motorists a spot of rain is nothing. Pathetic. Weak.
Motorists are the problem not a spot of rain. Spot of rain never hurt no one. Anyone stupid enough to die in a flood is an idiot. |
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BFA
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
410 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2013 : 10:40:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Atomius
Anyone stupid enough to die in a flood is an idiot.
You complain about people asking you for a light, throwing litter and being generally 'undesirable' and then come out with something as offensive as that?
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Atomius
Junior Member
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2013 : 11:12:05
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If you don't build houses near flood prone areas, floods don't kill you. capiche?
My god... the stupidity of some people... |
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penfold
Junior Member
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2013 : 11:53:50
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There is a shop in the village selling packs of 18 toilet rolls for only £5.
I suggest you use your beer allowance for this week to take advantage of this offer to catch all the s*** coming out of your mouth
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derekdainton
deleted
579 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2013 : 13:57:09
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Why do we need to indulge in personal abuse, particularly on such a lovely day. It happens so easily on these forums.
Although I personally think it's a sledgehammer to crack a nut, Patty's explanation as to the factors involved was helpful. At least, unlike the other members of our Parish Council, she's willing to do that.
And, equally, Atomius, although his views are a little 'left field' has a perfect right to express them. Chill, people! |
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BFA
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
410 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2013 : 21:46:43
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| Well it was started with sarcasm and negativity! |
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derekdainton
deleted
579 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 09:38:36
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| Different things altogether. |
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Atomius
Junior Member
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 11:37:34
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How is not constructing housing in a flood-prone area 'left field'? It's perfectly elementary, my dear Watson. Construct buildings near a flood-prone creek and what do you get? Flooding.
That's why if you look at topographical maps you'll notice Lyminster isn't situated hard by the Arun, but on a convenient thing called a mound...
And Arundel Castle wasn't built on the beach, strangely enough, too.
My point is that all this funding wouldn't be necessary if people thought a bit before setting out building a house/building.
Now know the village green has been flood-prone for centuries, I have read a bit at the history section.
However the reason I know the funding is absurdly high is because I know that webcams (I once bought one) are waterproof, thus they are 'all-weather'. And a wooden box to protect against wind/rain with a glass panel would cost significantly less than some titanium box made in a NASA lab...
As for security I daresay anyone with so much time on their hands to consider vandalising a webcam would probably be just as capable of vandalising a shop or what have you.
If this were Simcity I'd say to anyone living in a flood-prone area that you should probably build a new house away from the creek.
Mind you, all this being said, my other point with my statement was to point out the fact that it would be highly unlikely for something tragic to happen due to a flood here. The flood is highly contained and localised. A few yards away and your dry. This isn't Queensland, people. There is high land to escape to readily available, and I don't know too many people who sleep on the village green either.
Besides prevention is better than cure, and this is like an antibiotic. It is patching the issue. But surely preventing flooding in the first place would make more sense, and any idiot can dig a ditch or make a mound to divert water.
As I understand it Patching Pond be where the source of the Black Ditch lies? Thus surely the solution lies upstream in Patching, with better defenses of earthworks about the pond? |
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angmeringpaul
Senior Member
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 11:56:11
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| Webcams are not generally waterproof. |
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patty
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
738 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 12:03:27
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Atomius
You have lots of advice to give re the flooding issues in the village. Perhaps you would consider joining the Emergency commmittee and assisting them with your directions?
Ditch clearing is already in hand and volunteers are often sought, perhaps you would consider joining one of these groups as well?
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any comments and views listed above are those of myself personally and not as a Parish Councillor, and in no way reflect opinions of the Parish Council or any other professional bodies |
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Atomius
Junior Member
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 13:04:45
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I already volunteer full time at a plant nursery while I look for a job. I am sure there are plenty of people willing to clear ditches, what about all the retired people hereabouts? Or schoolchildren? Instead of walking on the wrong side of the path they could clear ditches lol... Stupid idiots don't seem to know the difference between left and right, or is this France now?
Anyway... they have plastic casing. They should be waterproof. And any moron can get some wood and make a cover for one... If you got some glass or just a panel of plastic film to cover the fourth wall...
I dunno. Seems to me that 3000 pounds for one webcam is a bit ridiculous. Obviously I'm wrong of course, and I'm not trying to state otherwise. But it seems ridiculous nonetheless. |
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patty
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
738 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2013 : 13:26:59
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any comments and views listed above are those of myself personally and not as a Parish Councillor, and in no way reflect opinions of the Parish Council or any other professional bodies |
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