Councils rise to the occasion and identify solutions for managing flood risk

15 April 2009

Local authorities piloting surface water-management plans (SWMPs) have reported positive progress in identifying solutions to managing flood risk, Surveyor has learned.

Government guidance on SWMPs is being tested by Richmond Upon Thames, Gloucestershire, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds, Warrington and West Berkshire councils. The guidance expects local authorities to pinpoint the location and condition of their gulleys and the flow rate of their watercourses, in order to reduce the risk of surface water flooding (Surveyor, 12 March 2009). It recommends the use of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) surveys on asset locations, and information on the flows of sewers and culverted watercourses.

Sue Smith, project officer at Gloucestershire County Council, said data from utilities had been crucial in identifying surface water flood risk.

The council had tested the guidance ‘stringently’ on five catchments over a relatively-large geographical area. However, it recommended that the Environment Agency lead on applying LiDAR in the future, ‘as we had problems accessing it in a timely fashion’.

Hull City Council had already completed a flood-risk assessment before gaining pilot status, and it is now looking at potential locations to create urban storage areas – or ‘aqua greens’. Alex Cod, Hull’s city planning officer, said the council would now establish how to best implement the measures, as well as analysing the costs and benefits.

Stuart Clark, West Berkshire Council’s principal engineer, said both non-engineering and engineering solutions had been identified, ‘such as changing land management practices north of Thatcham, creating woodlands and the provision of grants to farmers to let land grow wild, which would slow down surface water flow’.

London’s Richmond council has reported positive results so far, despite the ‘unrealistic’ six-month timeframe and limited funding of £50,000. ‘Ideally we’d have about £200,000 and a minimum of two years to complete the project,’ said project manager, Mike Long. He said high, medium and low-risk areas had been identified.

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