The Durham Canyon, eroded by flooding after heavy rainfall. Such events will become more frequent as climate change accelerates.


On saturday 18th July 2009 70 mm of rain fell over the north East UK onto already saturated ground The river Wear burst its banks innundating the floodplain around the city of Durham and flooding many properties As the water in the river started to drop a section of the banking collapsed into the river The flood water that was held back on the floodplain now suddenly had a shortcut back into the river As the floodwaters tore back into the river channel they eroded a huge gully that has been called the Durham Canyon The erosion feature is up to 15 feet deep up to 100 feet across and 200 yards long 12 000 cubic metres of soil were washed into the river from a field of Barley at Shincliffe near Durham As climate change accelerates such damage from severe weather events will increase


Size: 5300px × 3533px
Photo credit: © Ashley Cooper / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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