It is early in 2004 and weather conditions of a kind expected only once in 100 years have caused exceptionally heavy rains over Somerset. As the water runs off the Quantock hills, the River Parrett and its tributaries, particularly the Cary, fill up and turn into torrents. The waters rush down the valleys, fill what remains of the floodplain and catch in their path the historic town of Bridgwater (population: 36,000), which is flooded. It is not too surprising a story, given the events of recent years in Gloucester, York, Lewes, Boscastle and many other corners of the country, and yet if you lived in Bridgwater you would have reason to be surprised, because it didn't happen. At least, not in the real world. The Bridgwater flood of 2004 existed onlyin the mind and the computer of a Forestry Commission scientist called Huw Thomas, who was helping carry out an experiment to assess how useful trees might be as a tool in tackling Britain's chronic problem of flooding.
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