Having seen on Central TV News last week a piece about narrow boaters marooned on the Avon at Bidford on Avon,I did a search for flood alerts, came up with the EA site which proudly boasted an update every 15 mins. Searching the River Avon, from Stratford to Evesham, up came the latest flood alert for 2007, detailing the rescue of a lady and two dogs from a local caravan site. Definitely 2007. I then emailed the EA asking about the 15 min updates etc. An automated reply came back saying that urgent matters would be replied to within 10 days, and non-urgent matters within 25 days. A fat lot of use to anyone whon needs some answers.

These people are beyond contempt. All that money, and it's just wasted....Tossers  

If you would like the Environment Agency  to email you their 'Harbour
Masters notices' which alert river users to river closures and events
which may affect navigation, please e-mail:
maria.dasilva@environment-agency.gov.uk

with ' river information' in the title.

In the end I phoned up the EA and got placed on their alert notification system. They said that they had not been TOLD of any high water problems!!!. I suggested that they looked at "Midlands Today" to find out what was happening in their area. She replied that they had automatic water level monitoring stations which they relied on, and the one currently at Bidford on Avon read 1.35 meters. I asked her what did that mean; was that the actual depth at that point or was the river up by that amount and also what was the normal river level. The answer was that she did not know to all four points. Her colleague said that the normal river level was 0.8 meters, to which I replied "rubbish"; no boats would be able to use the river if that was the case. Eventually she said that where the monitor was, the river depth was 0.35 meter up. What a waste of space and money.