The underlying reason why the south of britain is currently submerged is that the ground is saturated. Rain water cannot drain away into the earth because the earth is full.

This poses me a question.

Are there any demonstrable risks of fracking with regard to saturated ground?

Could say, the somerset levels, become flooded with carcinogenic, toxic waste?

I'm on me fone and aint good at researching with it so does anybody know?

Read more: www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/flood...130919#ixzz2sfLFIkbE

Spot on Dubs

Cheers mikey. That article seems to refer to well pads and works getting flooded. A clear danger. But i'm thinking more of the possibilty (or not) of underground contamination reaching the surface through the saturated ground. When things are as bad as they are down here at the moment it surely won't just be the ground that's full. I'd think that the underlying rock would also be. Fracking is pretty deep i know but it doesn't seem inconceivable to me that there could be transference 'upwards' ovee potentially vast areas.

Really must look into geology a bit

I meant that your logic was spot on.

gdacc.org/2011/09/09/pennsylvania-groups...uids-in-flood-water/

Again, that one is from run off into the flood water from the well pads.

Hmmmm, possibly dubs.

Chemicals in small amounts would come up to the surface but you'd need a hell of a lot of water. What we have now might be enough it might not. I don't think the heavy metals would be a problems, being heavy metals. Probably nothing to panic about but certainly needs looking in to by those experienced in such matters.

Aye silva. I think i'll fire up the laptop this weekend at some point and get interested in geology.

I guess in very basic theory the frackers will say that because they are fracking below the aquifer (which the 3rd pic labels as 'source of drinking water'... err... not quite) that there would be no potential for contamination. However of course although thinking of laws of gravity you would think the fracking chemicals being so far below the aquifer, and in turn the water table - potential flooding water - would never get into contact with water near the surface, I take it the gasses released during fracking would push water/chemicals up?

I wouldn't have considered this, dub, had I not seen this thread so thanks because it is an interesting subject.

I was aware of the increasing risk of sink holes, with fractured chemical ridden bottom layers being pressurised with increasing heavy wet upper layers, thanks to our increasingly wet weather.

I guess if we're lucky enough not to get swallowed up by the earth we're going to get poisoned by it instead!

Iirc there have already been localised aquifer contaminations haven't there? There's certainly a fair amount of concern over it anyway.
If the contaminants can reach the aquifer then surely it could indeed ve possible for it to propagate further up?

dubmeup wrote: I don't really understand it all , but I have read about people recording higher levels of methane in the ground water (but I think not confirmed by the follow up rigged studies).

But I think methane as a gas is more deniable (if that's a word?!) ... oh y'know, it's a gas it can squeeze it's way in anywhere unfortunately... nothing to see here
If waterbourne only contaminants were found in aquifers or higher - assuming that could happen - I think people would be far more concerned. The general public I mean.

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I GOT TO REPEAT THIS!!!!
FRAKKING IS A DEATH KNELL!
YES I'M SHOUTING!
IT'S NOT EVEN THE METHANE!
I am the seed.
My children are the saplings.
My grandchildren are the trees......
My children will come to realise, they too are the seeds.