A report has highlighted how North Yorkshire communities came together to help flood-hit households when Storm Darragh brought torrential rain and damaging winds last winter.
North Yorkshire Council compiled the document after 81 homes were flooded in Ryedale on December 7, 2024, when around 15cm of rain fell on already saturated ground.
The report follows a Section 19 investigation into the causes and impact of the flooding on the communities of Kirkby Mills, Keldholme, Sinnington, and Marton, between Kirkbymoorside and Pickering.
Following the flooding, the unitary authority worked with Kirkbymoorside Town Council to open a local assistance centre at the Moorside Room in Kirkbymoorside where the response was coordinated.
Several local community groups, including a military veterans’ group, worked from the centre alongside council officers and the emergency services to provide help to those affected.
The report found that while the amount of rainfall was not unusual, it fell on already saturated ground after persistent rainfall over the preceding weeks.
The Seven and Dove rivers were already high at the time of Storm Darragh, when new record levels were set for both rivers.
Officers noted that the storm approached from the north, directing rainfall into the upper catchments of the Rivers Dove and Seven, which exacerbated flood conditions.
Marton is protected by flood embankments, but these were partially breached when a tree on the bank fell during the storm.
Vegetation also blocked a field gate and caused floodwater to enter the village.
A power failure at the Yorkshire Water pumping station south of Kirkby Mills which resulted in excess water being diverted to the River Dove via an overflow pipe was also reported.
In Sinnington, it was found that many residents were not signed up to the Environment Agency flood warning system, or reported that they did not receive appropriate warnings.
The report made a number of recommendations including the continued delivery of an existing property flood resilience scheme and the Environment Agency to increase education regarding its flood warning system.
Other recommendations include North Yorkshire Council’s bridges team continuing to monitor silt levels at bridges in the area and the Environment Agency reviewing its flood defences in Marton.
Councillor Greg White, who represents the Kirkbymoorside and Dales division, described the community response as “truly impressive”.
He added:
“In Kirkbymoorside, the town council provided the Moorside Rooms, so that North Yorkshire Council could immediately set up a publicly accessible response centre.
“North Yorkshire Council officers were supported both by partner agencies and local residents, particularly Jean Illingworth and the recently established military veterans’ group.”
Cllr White said it would be “unrealistically expensive” to prevent all incidents of flooding along the Dove in the future.
“The resources to make individual properties more resilient are both welcome and essential.
“Of course, not everything went well and it is particularly important that apparent delays in Environment Agency warnings getting to residents are addressed and sorted.”
The report noted that a number of residents avoided being flooded by defending their properties with sandbags, existing flood gates and makeshift defences.
The report noted that there was a long history of flooding in the River Dove and River Seven catchment area dating back to the 19th century, with notable events occurring in 1878 and 1931.
Several flooding incidents have also occurred in the 21st century, including 2002, 2007 and 2008.
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