A warning system that could prevent the disastrous tidal surge that hit the Moray Firth last December is being devised, but it will not be finalised until next year, Highland councillors were told yesterday.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) is working with councils in the north and north-east to create a model to predict tidal surges.
The warning system was developed after December’s freak storm caused major damage along the coast, with harbours in Caithness, Easter Ross and Moray suffering major damage.
Members of Highland Council’s transport, environmental and community services (tecs) committee heard that a similar scheme was launched for Loch Linnhe on October 30.
It was drawn up after a severe surge in 2005 which flooded properties in Fort William and Caol.
The model predicts the surges using information about the atmospheric pressure, tides and winds.
The council’s head of transport and infrastructure, Sam MacNaughton said that more work was needed on the Moray Firth scheme. More details will be made public in the new year. He said part of the issue was determining how much of the coastline would be included.
He said: “A larger model will be more expensive.”
In the event of an excessive tidal surge, Sepa will issue an early warning to emergency services and the council.
If needed, agencies will put out sandbags to protect properties which are at risk.
Councillors at the tecs committee were supportive of the scheme yesterday.
Councillor Allan Henderson, Caol and Mallaig, said the Loch Linnhe scheme was welcome.
He said: “It is good value and cheap when you think of the misery and hardship caused when the last surge took place.
“Unfortunately, as someone who lives on the coast, I know it is difficult to predict these things.”