The River Rhymney in spate

Image: © Walter Ryl Taken: 22 Feb 2024

The River Rhymney (Afon Rhymni) in spate after heavy rain in February 2024. This stretch of the river has been straightened and deepened to reduce the flood risk. The embankment on the far side of the river is about 2m higher than the original river bank. The risk still remains in the area, however. The Cefn Mably Farm Park attraction about 1km upstream was badly flooded in February 2020 during Storm Dennis. A day or two before the photograph was taken, a mature oak tree was uprooted from the nearside bank of the river. The base of the main trunk, now lying along the edge of the river, is visible in the bottom right hand corner of the picture. It seems unlikely that the tree was brought down by strong wind; the location is well sheltered. Possibly the wet winter of 2023/24, softening the ground around the roots, was a contributory cause. The rainfall in the area for the four months, November 2023 to February 2024, exceeded the 30-year average by 52% (Cardiff, Bute Park, November to February: 1991-2020 average, 490mm; 2023-24, 746mm). Remarkably, the rainfall total for February 2024 was three times greater than the 30-year average for that month (1991-2020 average, 93mm; 2024, 282mm). The 90%ile range for February rainfall totals over the 30 years was 36mm to 188mm.

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