THE River Wye reached a peak of 6.42 metres (19 feet 2 inches) at Monmouth last Wednesday morning (December 13th). Historic information for Redbrook gauging station, just downstream of Monmouth, indicated that this was the highest flood level experienced at Monmouth since 1970 when the Redbrook records began - and probably the highest since 1960.
Widespread flooding was averted by the Environment Agency's Monmouth flood defence scheme, and officers from the Agency's International Business Unit played an important role by reporting on the performance of the defences to the Agency's flood incident room at St Mellons, Cardiff.