River Eden Drainage Basin
Case Study - River Eden Drainage Basin
Location: Cumbria, north-west England, between the mountains of Lake District
(west), Yorkshire Dales (south) and the Pennines (east).
Source to Mouth: Source - Black Fell Moss, Pennine Hills
Mouth - Enters Eden estuary on Solway Firth at Bowness-on-
Solway
River drains in NW direction
145km in length
Flows through Carlisle, Penrith and Appleby
Rainfall/Climate: UK average - 1372mm, Cumbria average - 2000mm
Mountainous areas - 2800mm due to orographic rainfall
Carlisle/coastal fringe - 750mm
Mild temperature - 4°C to 20°C - freezing on high ground
Shape/Relief: Steep drainage basin slopes - reduced lag time = high peak
discharge as water reaches channel faster
Upper catchment - high rainfall, steep terrain - Eden is a
‘fast-responding’ river
Lower catchment - low gradient, wider floodplain, deeper
soils, flood responses are slower and there is more space to
store water - river doesn’t fill with water as quickly
Two hours for precipitation to reach Ullswater Lake after
falling on Helvellyn, highest point in Eamont catchment.
Geology: Majority of basin made from sandstone and limestone -
permeable materials
High areas to the west made of igneous rocks, which are
impermeable
Land use: Eden valley consists of 7667 hectares of woodland
1% of the area is urban: Carlisle, Appleby, Penrith
Eden valley sparsely populated with 161,000 people
Grade 2: very good quality agricultural land - located
alongside river channel, in the middle and lower course
Grade 5: very poor agricultural land - high land around
watershed
Beef and dairy farming regions on Solway Plain near mouth
of river
, Factors Affecting Flooding in the River Eden
Case Study - River Eden Drainage Basin
Drainage Basin:
Farming Practices How it alters flood risk?
Sheep, cattle and dairy farming all take place within
Soils become compacted
drainage basin - compaction reduces infiltration and
due to heavy machinery
increases run off
or trampling by livestock
Grazing, trampling and soil compaction alter the cycle
Between 2000-2009,
and reduce the ability of certain stores to hold water
there was a 30%
Grazing reduces interception so more water is lost as run
increase in cattle in the
off
Eden Valley
More surface run off due to steep gradients, higher flood
Grazing in upland areas
risk
reduced amount of
Soil becomes saturated quickly, increasing chance of
vegetation
flooding
Housing Construction How it alters flood risk?
Many new housing
estates built in and
around Carlisle - Eden
Gate Development to the Reduced infiltration due to impermeable surfaces,
north of the city increasing surface run off
Plans for a ‘garden Increased risk of flooding downstream as building on
village’ to south of floodplains reduces infiltration
Carlisle with up to Urban drainage systems channel water quickly into
10,000 homes, called St rivers, accelerating flow and flood potential
Cuthbert’s Garden Higher Peak Discharge and Shorter Lag Time - more
Village - to be built on a water reaches the river quickly, increasing risk of flash
floodplain floods
Building on floodplains
has led to many homes
needing flood defences
Case Study - River Eden Drainage Basin
Location: Cumbria, north-west England, between the mountains of Lake District
(west), Yorkshire Dales (south) and the Pennines (east).
Source to Mouth: Source - Black Fell Moss, Pennine Hills
Mouth - Enters Eden estuary on Solway Firth at Bowness-on-
Solway
River drains in NW direction
145km in length
Flows through Carlisle, Penrith and Appleby
Rainfall/Climate: UK average - 1372mm, Cumbria average - 2000mm
Mountainous areas - 2800mm due to orographic rainfall
Carlisle/coastal fringe - 750mm
Mild temperature - 4°C to 20°C - freezing on high ground
Shape/Relief: Steep drainage basin slopes - reduced lag time = high peak
discharge as water reaches channel faster
Upper catchment - high rainfall, steep terrain - Eden is a
‘fast-responding’ river
Lower catchment - low gradient, wider floodplain, deeper
soils, flood responses are slower and there is more space to
store water - river doesn’t fill with water as quickly
Two hours for precipitation to reach Ullswater Lake after
falling on Helvellyn, highest point in Eamont catchment.
Geology: Majority of basin made from sandstone and limestone -
permeable materials
High areas to the west made of igneous rocks, which are
impermeable
Land use: Eden valley consists of 7667 hectares of woodland
1% of the area is urban: Carlisle, Appleby, Penrith
Eden valley sparsely populated with 161,000 people
Grade 2: very good quality agricultural land - located
alongside river channel, in the middle and lower course
Grade 5: very poor agricultural land - high land around
watershed
Beef and dairy farming regions on Solway Plain near mouth
of river
, Factors Affecting Flooding in the River Eden
Case Study - River Eden Drainage Basin
Drainage Basin:
Farming Practices How it alters flood risk?
Sheep, cattle and dairy farming all take place within
Soils become compacted
drainage basin - compaction reduces infiltration and
due to heavy machinery
increases run off
or trampling by livestock
Grazing, trampling and soil compaction alter the cycle
Between 2000-2009,
and reduce the ability of certain stores to hold water
there was a 30%
Grazing reduces interception so more water is lost as run
increase in cattle in the
off
Eden Valley
More surface run off due to steep gradients, higher flood
Grazing in upland areas
risk
reduced amount of
Soil becomes saturated quickly, increasing chance of
vegetation
flooding
Housing Construction How it alters flood risk?
Many new housing
estates built in and
around Carlisle - Eden
Gate Development to the Reduced infiltration due to impermeable surfaces,
north of the city increasing surface run off
Plans for a ‘garden Increased risk of flooding downstream as building on
village’ to south of floodplains reduces infiltration
Carlisle with up to Urban drainage systems channel water quickly into
10,000 homes, called St rivers, accelerating flow and flood potential
Cuthbert’s Garden Higher Peak Discharge and Shorter Lag Time - more
Village - to be built on a water reaches the river quickly, increasing risk of flash
floodplain floods
Building on floodplains
has led to many homes
needing flood defences
