Sheffield Flooding

The summer of 2007 saw some of the most rainfall and flooding in the United Kingdom’s history. Geography played a crucial role in where and why the flooding occurred, with the UK’s various river landscapes making some places worse affected than others. Let's take a look at flooding in Sheffield as a case study, a city that was particularly hard-hit during this intense weather event. What kind of impacts did the Sheffield flooding have in 2007? What does Sheffield look like today? Dive on in!

Sheffield flooding 2007

Sheffield is a city of roughly 550,000 people located in South Yorkshire, England. Nestled between the flatter South Yorkshire Coalfield to the East and the foothills of the Pennines to the East, Sheffield finds itself with a varied topography–some parts being hilly while others are flatter. In fact, there is an over 500-metre difference between the city’s highest and lowest points!

Fig. 1 - Massive flooding in Evesham during the 2007 UK floods

This variation, however, worked to the city’s disadvantage during the summer of 2007 when massive rainfall pummelled the British Isles, causing widespread flooding. Areas of high ground were largely spared, with water pooling at the lowest points of Sheffield. With Sheffield being an urban area, much of the land is paved, meaning water does not penetrate the ground and collects in the city’s sewer systems. This is in contrast to heavily forested or green areas, where soil can absorb much more water compared to concrete. The river Don flowing through Sheffield was also a major factor in the flooding. The intense rain in 2007 took its toll and was too much for Sheffield’s infrastructure to handle. Let’s look more closely at the River Don flooding in Sheffield next.

River Don flooding Sheffield

Running east to west through the centre of Sheffield is the River Don. The River Don begins in the Pennines before joining the River Ouse.

Fig. 2 - The blue line shows the course of the River Don

The rainfall in 2007 caused the River Don to overflow the riverbanks, reaching record highs in some areas. It wasn’t the first time the River Don had ever flooded, though. In 1864, a massive flood resulted in the deaths of 240 people and destroyed 800 houses in what is known as the Great Sheffield Flood. A dam was built upriver to create a reservoir, a sort of lake that is used primarily for drinking water and farm irrigation. The dam collapsed in 1864 resulting in the flood. The River Don has also been a key feature in several important events in English history, including the Pilgrimage of Grave. The Pilgrimage of Grace was an uprising against King Henry VIII in 1536, and a flood of the River Don prevented the uprising's forces from encountering the King's forces in Doncaster, forcing them to negotiate instead. In the end, the rebellion was suppressed leading to most of its leaders being executed.

Fig. 3 - Aftermath of the dam collapse causing the Great Sheffield Flood in 1864

The most recent flooding event was in 2019 when the banks of the River Don burst flooding several villages, such as Fishlake.

Sheffield flooding impacts

The major flooding in 2007 resulted in major damage to infrastructure and human life, resulting in costly rescue operations and repairs. As an immediate result of the flooding, two people in Sheffield lost their lives in the rushing water.

Infrastructure damage

In all, the major flooding in Sheffield resulted in 1,200 houses being flooded and hundreds of businesses throughout Sheffield were forced to shut down. Perhaps the most notable building damaged was Meadowhall, the largest shopping centre in Sheffield. Hillsborough Stadium flooded as well, with waters rising over 1.8 meters. The Sheffield railway station closed, leaving passengers stranded. The floods cut electricity to thousands of homes too, with some residents waiting days before their lights could turn back on. Because there was fear of the nearby Ulley dam breaching, the M1 Motorway was closed leading into Sheffield, with the town's natural gas supply lines potentially being cut if the dam burst. The total cost of repairs in Sheffield is estimated by the Environment Agency to be over £50 million. In all, the damage to buildings and infrastructure is a major one of the Sheffield flooding impacts.

Fig. 4 - The River Don near Meadowhall

Rescue and rebuild

The devastation of the 2007 floods across the UK resulted in a massive mobilization of the armed forces and emergency services to help reach those in danger and repair critical infrastructure. At the time, 900 people were moved to temporary shelters in Sheffield due to their homes being destroyed and to evacuate areas at risk of more flooding. The Royal Air Force was dispatched to airlift citizens trapped in the devastated area. In the days after the flooding, the Sheffield town council convened to assess the damage and provide support for Sheffield residents. The most pressing concern was ensuring all residents were healthy and assessing the damage done. Because the flooding impacted so many buildings, all needed to be inspected to ensure they were safe for the general public to continue to use. Support groups were established to identify which people were most at risk of lingering impacts of the flood, either in physical or mental ways.

Sheffield flooding today

The widespread damage from the 2007 floods resulted in a call to action to make sure something like it could not happen again. Public awareness campaigns have reached out to the community to build knowledge of the flood warning service, which lets residents know when there is a high risk of flooding and when to evacuate. The City government dedicated resources to improving flood defences, and businesses along the River Don agreed to pay extra taxes to finance them. Flood walls and flood gates have been installed along the River Don, aiming to withstand flooding even at the extreme levels seen in 2007. Much more funding is needed to achieve more peace of mind in Sheffield, and a major test for the work already done happened in 2019, when extensive rainfall hit the city once again. Acting proactively, the government closed highways, rail lines, and parks in low-lying areas to ensure people were not in vulnerable areas. While flooding once again struck Meadowhall, there was no loss of life and damage was less costly than in 2007.

Sheffield flooding facts

It's a good idea to have a few facts on hand for your exam - let's take a look!

• The most severe days of flooding in Sheffield occurred from June 25-27, 2007.

• Two deaths directly resulted from flooding in Sheffield.

• 1,300 homes were damaged, and the overall cost of repairs to Sheffield was estimated at £50 million.

• Extensive rainfall caused increased strain on Sheffield’s drainage systems and pushed the water levels of the River Don up beyond the riverbank.