2002 Glasgow floods
Encyclopedia
The 2002 Glasgow floods were a series of Flash flood
s that occurred after Thunderstorm
s in the Scottish Lowlands
in late July and early August 2002. The heaviest rainfall fell on the night of Tuesday 30 July 2002.
The East End of Glasgow
was the worst affected district of the city, 200 people were evacuated from their homes in Greenfield
and Shettleston
on the Tuesday night. The antiquated 19th century storm drain
and sewer system in that area, having received minimal investment from Scottish Water
, was blamed due to its inability to deal with the high capacity of Surface runoff
. Many of the homes affected were in working class areas and as a result did not have contents insurance
.
The West Coast Main Line
, Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
and Queen Street station
were closed as a result of flood
ing and landslide
s. A number of roads were also badly affected by flooding in Sighthill
, Springburn
as well as the main A82 and A8 roads. Buchanan Street subway station
on the Glasgow Subway
was closed, although trains continued to run through the station without stopping. Parts of the Argyle Line
were also flooded, with low-level stations from Dalmarnock
through to Exhibition Centre
closed for a number of weeks.
On 4 August 2002, the water parasite cryptosporidium
was discovered in Mugdock Reservoir at Milngavie water treatment works
as a result of the flooding. Cryptosporidium can cause severe diarrhea. About 140,000 people in Glasgow were affected, they were told not to drink tap water
without boiling it first. This later led to a major redevelopment of the Milngavie water treatment works.
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
s that occurred after Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s in the Scottish Lowlands
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
in late July and early August 2002. The heaviest rainfall fell on the night of Tuesday 30 July 2002.
The East End of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
was the worst affected district of the city, 200 people were evacuated from their homes in Greenfield
Greenfield, Glasgow
Greenfield is a district in the east end of the Scottish city of Glasgow, north of the River Clyde. The estate was built on the grounds of Greenfield House which was demolished to make way for the new scheme which was built in the 1960s....
and Shettleston
Shettleston
Shettleston is a district in the east end of Glasgow in Scotland. Like many of the city's districts, Shettleston was originally a small village on its outer edge. Today Shettleston lies between the neighbouring districts of Parkhead to the west, and Baillieston to the east, and is about 2 and a...
on the Tuesday night. The antiquated 19th century storm drain
Storm drain
A storm drain, storm sewer , stormwater drain or drainage well system or simply a drain or drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems...
and sewer system in that area, having received minimal investment from Scottish Water
Scottish Water
Scottish Water is a statutory corporation in Scotland that provides water and sewerage services. Unlike in England and Wales, water and sewerage provision in Scotland continues as a public corporation accountable to the public through the Scottish Government....
, was blamed due to its inability to deal with the high capacity of Surface runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
. Many of the homes affected were in working class areas and as a result did not have contents insurance
Contents insurance
Contents insurance is insurance that pays for damage to, or loss of, an individual’s personal possessions whilst they are located within that individual’s home...
.
The West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
, Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line is a main railway route which connects the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, by means of their respective branches of the West Coast Main Line ....
and Queen Street station
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
were closed as a result of flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing and landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s. A number of roads were also badly affected by flooding in Sighthill
Sighthill, Glasgow
Sighthill is a Housing estate in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde.Sighthill is part of the wider Springburn district in the North of the city...
, Springburn
Springburn
Springburn is an inner city district in the north of the Scottish city of Glasgow, home to various working and middle-class households.Springburn developed from a small rural hamlet at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its industrial expansion began with the establishment of a chemical...
as well as the main A82 and A8 roads. Buchanan Street subway station
Buchanan Street subway station
Buchanan Street subway station is a station on the Glasgow Subway in Scotland. It serves Buchanan Street, which is popular with shoppers. Close to Buchanan Bus Station and providing interchange with Glasgow Queen Street railway station via a travelator, it is the busiest station on the Subway, with...
on the Glasgow Subway
Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Formerly a cable railway, the Subway was later electrified, but its twin circular lines...
was closed, although trains continued to run through the station without stopping. Parts of the Argyle Line
Argyle Line
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. It connects the Lanarkshire towns of Lanark, Larkhall and Motherwell to West Dunbartonshire via central Glasgow using sub-surface running...
were also flooded, with low-level stations from Dalmarnock
Dalmarnock railway station
Dalmarnock railway station serves the area of Dalmarnock, Glasgow. It is a station on the Argyle Line, 4 km south east of Glasgow Central. The northern part of the station is situated in a tunnel .-History:...
through to Exhibition Centre
Exhibition Centre railway station
Exhibition Centre station - previously called Finnieston [1979-1986] and earlier Stobcross [1894-1959] - is in Glasgow on the Argyle Line. It serves the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, which is accessible by adjoining footbridge from an island platform...
closed for a number of weeks.
On 4 August 2002, the water parasite cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with diarrhea in humans.Cryptosporidium is the organism most commonly isolated in HIV positive patients presenting with diarrhea...
was discovered in Mugdock Reservoir at Milngavie water treatment works
Milngavie water treatment works
Milngavie water treatment works is the primary source of the water for the city of Glasgow in western Scotland. Part of the Victorian Loch Katrine water project, construction was started in 1855 and the works was opened by Queen Victoria in 1859, replacing the previous water supply sourced from...
as a result of the flooding. Cryptosporidium can cause severe diarrhea. About 140,000 people in Glasgow were affected, they were told not to drink tap water
Tap water
Tap water is a principal component of "indoor plumbing", which became available in urban areas of the developed world during the last quarter of the 19th century, and common during the mid-20th century...
without boiling it first. This later led to a major redevelopment of the Milngavie water treatment works.