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FCERM Research News
Issue 26
Research News is the biannual newsletter from the
Joint Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra), Environment Agency, Natural
Resources Wales and the Welsh Government Flood
and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and
Development Programme (FCERM). The programme
conducts, manages and promotes flood and coastal
erosion risk management research and
development. The programme is organised by
themes which are closely aligned to the policy and
operational responsibilities of Defra, Environment
Agency, Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh
Government.
If you would like further information on the programme
please visit our website:
http:/evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/FCERM
or email us:
fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
In this issue:
Channel Management Handbook
Improving rainfall observations
Coastal flood forecasting
Focus on: Local Flood Risk
Local Flood Risk Framework
Flood risk economics for all
Optimising radar performance
Evaluating the water quality benefits
of land management change
Social synthesis of flooding evidence
Costs of the 2013 to 2014 floods
Surveying for flood resilience
Focus on: Policy, Strategy and
Investment
Making better use of local flood data
Benefits of FRM actions
Focus on: Reservoir Safety
Reservoir safety research strategy
This issue looks at how we will make
better use of local and historic flood
data and how we’re estimating the
costs and impacts of the winter 2013 to
2014 floods.
There’s also news about a new tool we’ve
developed in collaboration with others that will
improve our rainfall data in the future and a focus
on the new look Policy, Strategy and Investment
theme.
Please pass this Research News on to anyone who
has not received their own copy. Digital copies can
be downloaded from our website or you can
subscribe to receive future editions for free.
Andy Moores – Environment Agency
Stacy Sharman – Defra
Joint programme managers
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Articles
Channel Management Handbook
Good practice to support channel management
A new handbook promoting good practice for
channel management has been developed by a
team led by the Environment Agency and Royal
HaskoningDHV. Written for flood risk management
authorities, the handbook brings together over 10
years of research and practice in channel
management. It aims to improve the process of
deciding when and how to carry out channel
management activities for flood risk and land
drainage purposes.
Why does channel management matter?
Channel management
Ensuring a channel is able to convey flow during a
flood is often an important element in the
management of flood risk and drainage in an area.
This ability to convey flood flow is influenced by a
variety of factors such as sediment, vegetation and
debris.
The scope of the handbook
However, it is important to recognise that flood risk
management and land drainage are only two of a
number of valuable functions that channels provide.
Good channel management can also support a
broad range of ecosystem functions and services,
including fisheries, navigation and amenity,
habitats, biodiversity, landscape and water quality.
Our audience
The principal aim of the handbook is to advise on
how to manage the channel for land drainage and
flood risk benefits. The handbook has therefore
been written and structured with flood risk
management authorities in mind. Land owners
adjacent to watercourses with an interest in
channel management will also find the handbook
useful.
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The handbook is a strategic, high-level guide which
aims to:
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present the good principles of management
and the underpinning scientific concepts so
that the channel manager can make
informed decisions
develop an effective process to ensure good
channel management based around a
framework for adaptive channel
management
The handbook is not prescriptive about which
management technique to implement within a
channel. It is expected that, by following this
handbook, a channel manager will make
knowledgeable and appropriate decisions on
management by following the process presented.
The handbook recognises that channel
management encompasses routine maintenance
that takes place within a bigger programme of
channel management and on/off, reactive and
periodic maintenance. It also looks at good practice
examples of rehabilitation, restoration and
modification works to a channel.
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Tools supporting the handbook
An interactive checklist tool has been developed to
be used in conjunction with the handbook. The
checklist takes you through a logical decision
process, linking to the appropriate sections of the
handbook for guidance at each stage. The checklist
also acts as a template for recording your decisions
and the supporting evidence you’ve considered. The
checklist refers you back to the specific handbook
sections for further information.
The handbook and supporting tools will be free to
download from the FCERM R&D website in spring
2015.
For further information contact
Owen Tarrant
owen.tarrant@environmentagency.gov.uk
The handbook is supported by a technical report
which details possible management techniques and
discusses their applicability to different river
typologies to help guide the channel manager
toward possible options.
How will the handbook help me?
The handbook will help guide you to:
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balance channel performance with the need
to promote natural form and the
environment
select an appropriate approach to managing
a channel, including whether intervention
or review of current maintenance practice is
necessary
develop an evidence base to support the
decision to undertake or cease channel
maintenance
understand the legislative framework that
channel management has to be realised
within and how to obtain supporting good
practice
understand the potential implications of
various management techniques through
case study examples
How is the Environment Agency using this
research?
The Environment Agency is considering options to
roll the handbook out, or elements of the
handbook, for use by Environment Agency Area
teams. In particular the decision checklist is thought
to be a valuable tool in helping record the
conversations which are already happening
between all of those involved in the channel
management process.
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Improving rainfall observations
Radar and rain gauge merging prototype nears completion
The Environment Agency and Met Office have
developed a new tool that will improve our rainfall
data in future. The technique combines the point
accuracy of rain gauges with the spatial coverage
provided by radar, giving the best of both. The
improved rainfall data will help improve our flood
forecasting in the future.
We have now completed a prototype of the
computer software that uses calculations to merge
together the rainfall data from weather radar and
rain gauges in an optimal way. We’ve been testing
this prototype, looking at a range of weather
conditions. The images below show an output from
the merging prototype, compared to radar alone,
for a period of heavy rain in January 2015.
In addition to the merging technique, we’ve also
developed an automated process for quality
controlling rain gauge data in near real time. This
will highlight where there may be suspected
problems with rain gauges, enabling further
investigation of these sites.
To support the future development of merged
products, the project has begun to address a
number of consistency issues in the way in which
the Environment Agency and Met Office capture
and transfer rain gauge data. Initially the new
spatial merged rainfall time series may be available
hourly or daily. We aim to eventually increase this
to every 15 minutes once we’ve optimised the
frequency at which our rain gauge data are
transferred to the Met Office.
The next phase of this project is to assess the
impacts of using the improved rainfall observations
in flood forecasting. The prototype software can
then be implemented at the Met Office to provide a
single, consistent, national source for observed
rainfall values. This information will feed into flood
forecasting models at both national and local scales,
and into operational systems run by the Met Office,
Environment Agency and Flood Forecasting Centre.
For further information contact
Daniel Hine
daniel.hine@environmentagency.gov.uk
For further information contact
Pat MacKenzie
pat.mackenzie@metoffice.gov.uk
Case study 15 January 2015
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Investigating coastal flood forecasting
The flooding events of winter 2013 and 2014 and
recent international disasters highlighted the
importance of timely and reliable coastal flood
forecasts. The risk of a large-scale East Coast flood,
for instance, is recognised as one of the highest
threats on the list of natural hazards published by
the Cabinet Office.
The aims of this national R&D project are to:
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Mitigation of the risk associated with coastal
flooding is only partly about flood defences. It is
also about appropriate and reliable early warnings,
and associated incident management procedures.
Over the past few years, significant advances have
been made in the technology and reliability
associated with coastal flood forecasting. However,
these innovations have not been coordinated at a
national level. Nor have they been applied
consistently at a regional level.
In September 2014, the FCERM R&D Programme
began a project led by JBA Consulting and including
HR Wallingford, the Met Office and the National
Oceanography Centre.
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review current practices, methods and
trends for coastal flood forecasting in the
UK and abroad
develop a scientifically valid and evidence
based best practice framework within
which future forecasting systems can be
developed
develop a simple decision support tool
designed to provide:
o guidance on the most appropriate
methods to be used in the development
of a coastal flood forecasting system,
depending on local circumstances
o a means of measuring the reliability of a
coastal flood forecasting system based
on new national performance targets
o guidance on Environment Agency
investment planning
The project will run to November 2015.
For further information contact
Chrissy Mitchell
christabel.mitchell@environmentagency.gov.uk
For further information contact
Matthew Hird
matthew.hird@jbaconsulting.com
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Focus on: Local Flood Risk
Local Flood Risk covers flooding from surface water,
groundwater and ordinary watercourses. Our
FCERM R&D Programme has just launched a new
research framework to champion research in this
field and the framework is already realising
benefits.
The framework has helped provide the evidence
needed to promote four new projects through the
Programme, with more to come, through close
working with our partners at UK Water Industry
Research (UKWIR). These four projects are outlined
below.
will look at a number of existing SuDS schemes to
provide an evidence base for practitioners.
Integrated modelling guidance
Modelling Local Flood Risk often requires several
models to be linked together. In these cases it’s not
just the quality of the individual models that counts,
but how they are put together as a whole. We will
work with the Chartered Institution of Water and
Environment Management’s Urban Drainage Group
and Rivers and Coastal Group to provide updated
guidance.
For further information contact
Adam Baylis
adam.baylis@environmentagency.gov.uk
Assessing and managing groundwater flood risk
This project will compare existing groundwater
flood mapping products on the market to help
practitioners choose the one best suited to their
needs. It will also review the evidence for
techniques on how to manage groundwater flood
risk locally.
Local Flood Risk information in the planning
process
The planning process makes good use of
information on flooding from local rivers and the
sea. However, information on other sources of
flooding is less well established. This project will
work with practitioners and the Department for
Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to
make more use of local flood risk information.
Monitoring the performance of SuDS
There is not enough evidence on how sustainable
drainage systems (SuDS) perform through time and
under difference maintenance regimes. This project
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Local Flood Risk Research
Framework
We have recently completed a research framework
for Local Flood Risk: Flooding from surface water,
groundwater and ordinary watercourses.
The framework includes a five-year roadmap of
projects that aim to achieve real outcomes and a
process to keep stakeholders engaged and working
together. It was prepared by individuals from across
the Local Flood Risk community.
The framework focuses on three groups:
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practitioners – need to innovate so they can
do more with less
researchers – looking for research questions
that will have real impact
funders – want to get value by focusing on
the right questions
If you see yourself in one of these groups, then
we’d like to work with you.
Further information is available at
bit.ly/LocalFloodRiskResearch
For further information contact
Adam Baylis
Local Flood Risk Research Framework
Adam.baylis@environmentagency.gov.uk
The framework covers seven research topics. For
each topic we have identified practitioner-led
research and strategic research questions.
Practitioner-led research focuses on creating tools
that can be used by practitioners. Strategic research
questions are more ‘blue sky’ in nature and might
need several attempts before we find a solution
that works.
Local Flood Risk is managed by a wide range of
organisations including local authorities, water
companies, Internal Drainage Boards, the
Environment Agency and Defra. Many more
organisations are involved in developing the
research.
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Flood risk economics for all
Update of the Multi-Coloured Manual
The Multi-Coloured Manual (MCM) and Handbook
contain the data, methods and guidance required to
calculate the economic damages of floods and the
benefits of investment to reduce flood risk.
Together they provide the evidence for investment
in flood and coastal erosion risk management in
England and Wales.
For further information contact
Jacqui Cotton
Jacqui.cotton@environmentagency.gov.uk
Multi-Coloured Manual Online
The original manual was commissioned by the
FCERM R&D Programme in 2001. Its methods and
data are used by Defra, the Environment Agency,
Internal Drainage Boards, Lead Local Flood
Authorities and other risk management agencies.
The data and handbook are now available on the
MCM website (www.mcm-online.co.uk). This means
that flood risk professionals can easily access the
detailed data and guidance under licence.
The data and handbook are set up for those with
expertise and experience of flood risk economics
and appraisals. To meet the needs of the public who
want to use flood damage data or learn more about
it, we have created a free-to-access section of the
MCM website. This can also be used by
professionals with less experience of flood risk
appraisals. It can also be used to carry out individual
flood benefit calculations.
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Dual polarisation research optimises radar performance
As highlighted in the last edition of Research News
(issue 25), we are working in partnership with the
Met Office, Natural Resources Wales and the Flood
Forecasting Centre to improve the quality of
existing weather radar products using new dual
polarisation technology.
We’re not even a third of the way through this
research project and operational users are already
reaping the benefits. A quantitative assessment of
recent operational improvements found this
research had:
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increased the ability to detect ‘light’ rainfall
data by 2–5% due to radar sensitivity being
improved
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decreased the count of false positives by 20–
50% (incorrect data) in anomalous propagation
conditions (where the radar beam is bent
towards the ground in certain meteorological
conditions)
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deleted 90–98% of aircraft echoes (the
majority of false positives in the radar
composite before implementation of this
research were caused by aircraft and ships)
How has this been achieved?
The rejection of non-precipitation echoes in the
data has improved. The new approach distinguishes
precipitation from ground clutter, aircraft, ships and
radio interference.
The technique makes use of the dual polarisation
variables such as ‘differential reflectivity’ (the
difference between vertical and horizontal radar
wave return signals) – see Figure 1, that are
available from radars upgraded as part of the
Weather Radar Network Renewal (WRNR) project.
The result is a significant reduction in the amount of
non-precipitation information remaining in the final
radar rainfall product.
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Figure 1: An improvement in differential reflectivity
(difference between returning wave signals)
© Met Office
New quality control (QC) algorithms were included
in the August 2014 release of the radar data
processing software (‘Radarnet’). They are already
resulting in a marked improvement in the quality of
radar precipitation estimates and prediction of
weather 0-7 hours in advance by reducing the
number of false positives.
Seven of the 15 radar sites in the UK have been
upgraded to dual polarisation as part of the
separate WRNR Implementation Project.
The improved quality control can currently only be
applied to data available from these seven radar
sites (see dark green areas in Figure 2). As the
WRNR project continues, the percentage of the
composite where the new quality control can be
applied will increase, reaching 100% in 2017.
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Figure 2: Current coverage of dual polarisation
(green) and single polarisation (blue) radars
© Met Office
By 2016 we will have developed and implemented
further techniques to use dual polarisation variables
from our upgraded radars, potentially improving
the quality of our weather radar products further.
For further information contact
Chrissy Mitchell
christabel.mitchell@environmentagency.gov.uk
For further information contact
Jacqueline Sugier
Jacqueline.sugier@metoffice.gov.u
k
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Evaluating the water quality benefits of land
management change
A case study of the Holnicote Estate, Exmoor
Introduction
The Holnicote project was set up in 2009 as part of
a Defra Flood Management Demonstration Scheme.
Its purpose was to provide evidence to show how
integrated land management change can contribute
to reducing local flood risk while improving
ecosystem services within the catchment.1
What we did
A collaborative project between the National Trust,
the University of Exeter and the Environment
Agency was set up to explore the water quality
benefits of this flood scheme. The purpose of this
project was to understand how multiple flood
management measures can affect a number of
pollutants at the catchment scale.
Two catchments with contrasting land use, Aller
and Horner Water, on the National Trust Holnicote
Estate in Somerset, provided the opportunity to
compare the effect of land use mitigation measures
to reduce local flood risk on water quality. The
Horner Water is dominated by semi-natural
vegetation and located on high ground. The Aller
catchment is dominated by intensive agricultural
land use at near sea level.
The study evaluated the effects of upland ditch
blocking on physicochemical and biological
parameters of water quality in the upland Horner
Water catchment one year after installation. In the
Aller catchment, land management interventions
included:
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Need for further work
While the study established a water quality baseline
prior to the implementation of land management
interventions, further monitoring is needed to
evaluate the effectiveness of land management
changes on achieving water quality improvements
at a catchment scale over the next few years.
How can I access the report?
The report, ‘Evaluating the Benefits of Catchment
Management for Multiple Ecosystem Services’, is
available at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/land
-management-change-evaluating-the-water-qualitybenefits
Please direct any project-specific questions to Dr
Miriam Glendell at Exeter University:
M.Glendell@Exeter.ac.uk
If you would like to find out more the FCERM R&D
Programme’s Working with Natural Processes R&D
framework, please contact Lydia Burgess-Gamble.
restoration of old mill ponds for increased
flood water storage
planting of floodplain woodland
construction of flood alleviation levées
What we found
The study showed that agricultural land use has a
profound influence on soil properties and the
movement of sediment and carbon from land to
water. Intensive agriculture, including livestock
grazing and arable land use in the agricultural Aller
catchment, resulted in soil properties being uniform
and higher losses of sediment and particulate
carbon.
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Agricultural land use also affected the quality and
quantity of the dissolved organic carbon. The
agricultural catchment exported sediment and
carbon more readily than the semi-natural
catchment, even during small and medium sized
rainfall events. In contrast, the semi-natural
catchment was more resilient to sediment and
carbon losses, with losses only occurring during
extreme rainfall events.
Research News Issue 26:
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For further information contact
Lydia Burgess-Gamble
lydia.burgessgamble@environmentagency.gov.uk
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For example, landscape quality, biodiversity, carbon
stewardship, water quality, amenity and recreation.
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Social synthesis of flooding evidence
The report ‘Synthesis of Flood Social Science
Evidence for Policy Decision and Delivery
Improvement’ was published in September 2014.
The research was intended to pull together the
available social science evidence and practitioner
experience to help Defra policy officials understand
how to achieve this shift, in particular by building
understanding of the social science evidence base.
This project was commissioned to help inform the
direction of policy away from a centralised
approach to flood risk management towards more
local ownership and management. This is consistent
with the aims of the Flood and Water Management
Act 2010, which followed on from the Pitt Review
after the 2007 floods. It also aligns with the
government’s objectives to hand power to local
communities wherever possible.
The project synthesised a range of evidence. This
included a selective review of published articles,
contributions from participants at two workshops
bringing together policymakers and practitioners,
and interviews with relevant experts.
Key findings
It is important that institutions are not only aware
of the flood risk, but also the characteristics of the
communities they are working with, before they try
to understand who is at greatest risk and the likely
response to engagement efforts.
Institutions have an important role to play in
supporting the development of community flood
risk management capacity and capabilities.
enabling constructive conversations to be held
about mitigation measures beyond insurance.
Social science has a role to play in:
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better understanding audiences before
trying to engage with them
providing methods to test flood risk
management approaches (for example,
provision of flood warnings)
evaluating flood risk management
approaches
being part of a multi-disciplinary approach
to support flood risk management decision
making
There is potential to improve dissemination of
lessons learned and signposting of good practice for
community and social aspects of flooding and
resilience.
How can I access the report?
The report, ‘Synthesis of Flood Social Science
Evidence for Policy Decision and Delivery
Improvement’, is available at
http://evidence.environmentagency.gov.uk/FCERM/Libraries/FCERM_Project_Do
cuments/FD2671_report.sflb.ashx
For further information contact
Stacy Sharman
stacy.sharman@defra.gsi.gov.uk
For most individuals, flood insurance is the primary,
if not sole, source of mitigation against flood risk.
However, addressing the psychological and
emotional aspects of flooding appears to be more
important than financial messages or incentives in
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Estimating the costs and impacts of the winter 2013 to
2014 floods
What are we doing?
This research seeks to establish the range of
impacts and to calculate the financial and economic
damages resulting from the flooding in England and
Wales during winter 2013 to 2014.
It will build on the work carried out as part of the
summer 2007 flood cost estimate and the flood
costs calculator.
The project is being conducted in collaboration with
a wide range of stakeholders. The research is being
led by Risk & Policy Analysts Limited (RPA) in a
consortium which includes Royal HaskoningDHV,
Morris Resource Economics and John Chatterton
Associates.
Why are we doing it?
Between December 2013 and March 2014, the UK
witnessed heavy and prolonged rainfall. It was the
wettest January on record for parts of the country,
and around 200% of monthly rainfall averages were
seen in other locations. The East Coast was also
affected by the largest coastal surge since 1953.
During these four months, many properties flooded
and crucial transport infrastructure was damaged.
Around 85,000 hectares of agricultural land were
flooded and wildlife sites damaged.
We need to estimate the economic and financial
damages which resulted from these floods to fully
understand their economic impact. This assessment
will include, but not be confined to:
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the impact on wildlife sites
How are we doing it?
The reference data from the 2007 flood study is
reliable and based on in-depth data collection. It is
used in the Multi-Coloured Manual for investment
appraisals, within the flood costs calculator and also
in the partnership funding calculator.
But, because the recent floods had many different
characteristics to those witnessed in 2007, their
impacts and damages may be different. These
differences mean we need to make an in-depth
review of the impacts of the winter 2013 to 2014
floods to better understand their unique
characteristics.
Following this review we’ll be able to update the
evidence base on the economic damages of
flooding and associated decision making rules for
investment.
The work will complete by May 2015.
For further information contact
Lydia Burgess-Gamble
lydia.burgessgamble@environmentagency.gov.uk
the impact of the coastal surge and extreme
waves
the duration of floods
the extent and location of damage to the
transport and energy supply network, and
water treatment works
Research News Issue 26:
Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management R&D
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Surveying for flood resilience in individual properties
Property level protection has developed rapidly in
the last few years. New technologies continue to
emerge that either prevent the ingress of water into
property or reduce the damages it causes, if it gets
in.
working independently. This is a barrier to growth
in this sector as whole.
The project isn’t a first step in developing a new
profession. It’s intended to help existing specialists,
such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
(RICS) understand what additional skills they would
need to be able to offer this service.
Damage from a flood in Liverpool
Effective management to reduce the risk of damage
from floodwater to individual properties includes a
wide range of tasks. Some involve adapting the
structure of the building itself. Measures can
include:
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installing flood barriers or air brick covers to
block apertures
minor building maintenance like repointing
brickwork, and sealing pipe and cable entry
points
active preparation by the householder in
developing a flood plan and signing up to
Environment Agency alerts
Flood doors are becoming more common
In the domestic flood resilience market, there is a
lack of consumer familiarity, knowledge and trust
with the products and companies that supply them.
Independent advisors have a role to play in
providing assurance to householders and insurers
that appropriate measures are used and have been
properly installed on larger Environment Agency
and local authority schemes.
However, there is evidence from existing schemes
that suggests there is a lack of specialist capacity
among surveyors to provide this service – both
more widely for smaller schemes and to those
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Flood barrier with sandbags
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
To help build consumer confidence, Defra awarded
a contract in 2014 to JBA Consulting and its
partners, The University of Manchester, the
National Flood Forum and Turnstone Learning to
develop our evidence base. The aims are to:
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develop competency specifications for
professionals wishing to carry out this role
identify opportunities and existing training,
and map a development pathway for
professionals who wish to develop these
skills
The project started in July 2014 and is expected to
run until March 2015. The contractors have carried
out a desk exercise to see what happens in other
countries and with the delivery of other services,
such as the Green Deal and fire alarm services. They
have also worked to develop a role profile and map
what they see as the crucial competencies.
The objective is essentially to identify what is
required for the role. It is important that:
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the findings are seen as useful by all those
working in this area
the contractors secure buy-in and support
from existing interested and potential
beneficiaries such as insurers, product
manufacturers, local authorities,
consumers, the RICS and training
institutions
There will also be a number of other practical
outputs including:
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case studies of good practice
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a competency framework for the role of
property level flood risk surveyor
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a competency / training route map for
specialists
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a guide for householders
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technical guidance for local authorities and
others who procure services
We hope the project’s outcomes will lead to greater
uptake of new property level protection
technologies by the public. And also create business
development opportunities for small surveying
businesses and sole traders who can provide this
service locally, including in the context of home
buying and selling process.
For further information contact
Robbie Craig
robbie.craig@defra.gsi.gov.uk
During November and December 2014 these initial
ideas were tested through meetings and webinars
with a wide range of stakeholder groups.
Workshops were held in January and February
2015.
The final report will be available in spring 2015. It
will include best practice recommendations for upskilling the sector, and proposals to address any
gaps or new needs identified during the project.
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Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management R&D
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Focus on: Policy, Strategy and Investment
Under the Policy, Strategy and Investment (PSI)
theme, we have a suite of projects which are
improving the way we understand flood damages
and investment.
We have started a project which is investigating the
way we produce Long Term Investment Scenarios
(LTIS). Currently, we predict the future national
investment needs by looking at flood risk, and
projecting that risk into the future based on
changes due to factors such as climate change. The
new project will develop a more flexible approach
to modelling future scenarios. For example, we will
be able to explore uncertainly in climate change
predictions and have the capability to address a
broader range of questions about future risk.
Work is already underway to look at how much the
winter 2013 and 2014 floods cost the economy (see
page 14 for details).
The recently completed Multi-Coloured Manual
project provides online learning and transparency
to the data and methods used by agencies to
calculate flood damages (see page 8 for details).
Outputs from the recently published ‘flood and
coastal erosion risk management and the wider
economy’ research projects include case studies
and an exploratory note on national level impacts
(available shortly).
We are currently commissioning research on
enhancing ex-post evaluation of flood and coastal
erosion risk management plans and schemes.
There is also work underway to consider and
improve the data we use for flood risk investment
planning such as average flood damage figures and
damage data from insurance claims.
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We are managing a project to establish and quantify
the benefits of modelling, mapping and data, and
stakeholder engagement work to core Environment
Agency FCRM activities and outcomes. Building on
previous R&D, this will be achieved by developing a
dependency model - a form of probability tree used to systematically analyse complex systems.
Dependency models will be used to analyse the
dependencies (value chain) between the different
mapping, modelling, data and stakeholder
engagement activities carried out by FCRM, and
external factors, to better understand how we
achieve our outcomes. The outputs of this research
will help us make sound business planning and
investment decisions.
This wealth of PSI research is important in the
context of partnership funding. All flood risk
authorities need to have the most up-to-date and
rigorous evidence base to justify investment
decisions in the future.
For further information contact
Environment Agency lead
Jacqui Cotton
jacqui.cotton@environmentagency.gov.uk
For further information contact
Defra lead
Emma Beckles
Emma.beckles@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Making better use of local and historic flood data
The Environment Agency is developing new and
improved methods to better incorporate local and
historical flood data into Flood Estimation
Handbook (FEH) techniques and to better
understand how these data affect uncertainty in
design flood estimation (i.e. modelled flood
estimation). This work is being carried out in
partnership with JBA Consulting and CEH
Wallingford.
As part of this project, a set of procedures and a
practical user guide will be produced. The project
will combine generalised FEH methods with
information from local data sources. A method for
assessing the uncertainty of current statistical flood
estimation methods will also be developed.
This research is intended to evaluate the actual
added benefit of including these complementary
data sources into the flood estimation process.
River gauge board
•
Contemporary flood data - relatively
modern datasets, often held locally and
possibly containing short records of river
flow information, river level data and
spatial extents of recent flooding
•
Historic flood data – usually derived from
documentary evidence of flooding over the
past 50 to 400 years such as flood marks on
buildings and accounts of the flooding
written at the time in newspapers and
chronicles
•
Palaeoflood data – sedimentary records
that floods leave behind and which can date
back thousands of years
The work will ultimately inform:
•
•
•
•
•
decisions on the design and operation of
flood defences
flood mapping and planning decisions in
flood risk areas
the National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA)
the setting of insurance premiums
long term investment planning
Note that a replacement for NaFRA (which is also
known as Risk of flooding from Rivers and the Sea)
is being considered under connected research
called ‘communities at risk’.
What are local and historical data?
Local and historic data provide information on flood
events within a relatively small geographical area
that can be used to complement traditional flood
estimates that are typically derived using the
statistical method and river flow records from the
HiFlows–UK database.
Such local and historical data include:
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Reducing uncertainty in flood estimation
Modelled (or design) flood estimates are associated
with a degree of uncertainty, which is due to the
uncertainties with input data. For instance, when
calculating the level of flow for a 100 year flood at
an ungauged site, the resulting value may fall within
uncertainty boundaries of minus 55% to plus 125%
(using 95% confidence interval).1
These hydrological uncertainties are likely to
constitute the most uncertain component in any
flood risk assessment.
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
1
Kjeldsen, T.R., 2014. How reliable are design flood
estimates in the UK? Journal of Flood Risk Management,
DOI: 10.1111/jfr3.12090.
This project is primarily concerned with developing
the statistical method, although it will also make
recommendations on future research on the
estimation of uncertainty of design hydrographs
derived from the Revitalised Flood Hydrograph
(ReFH) method (rainfall-runoff method).
Flood estimation in ungauged small catchments
River Rother Palaeochannel
Why use design flood estimates?
Design flood estimates are an essential part of flood
risk management. They tell us what flood flows are
likely to occur for events of a given rarity, for
example, the 100-year flood.
Uncertainty in design floods, particularly on
catchments with little high-quality flood peak data,
can make it difficult to have confidence in the
outputs of flood studies. This is whether they are
for flood mapping, design of defences, design of
river structures, flood risk assessment or other
purposes.
In these circumstances it is tempting to use
whatever extra information is available to help
constrain or refine the answer. This research hopes
to improve the current lack of definitive guidance
on how to do this and whether it actually improves
the outcome.
FEH methods
The research will link with a number of other
projects. One of these is a research project to
review the methodology for estimating flood peaks
and hydrographs for small catchments (SC090031).
This research is currently considering flood
estimation in ungauged small rural and urban
catchments. It is analysing datasets, developing
techniques and producing tools to enable reliable
flood estimation for:
•
•
•
•
small rural and urban catchments
changes in flood response due to
urbanisation
flood peaks alone
flood hydrographs
For further information contact
Chrissy Mitchell
Christabel.mitchell@environmentagency.gov.uk
For further information contact
Duncan Faulkner
Duncan.Faulkner@jbaconsulting.co
m
Two different methods are routinely used in the UK
for flood frequency analysis and design flood
estimation:
•
•
19
a statistical method based on extreme value
statistics
a method based on routing a design rainfall
event through a simple event-based rainfall
runoff model
Research News Issue 26:
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Benefits of flood risk management actions and advice
New tools to help quantify the benefits of flood risk
management have been developed by a team of
researchers from the Environment Agency, CH2M
Hill, JBA Consulting and the Flood Hazard Research
Centre.
It is essential that flood risk is managed as
efficiently as possible. Large flood defence projects
are not suitable, affordable or sustainable in all
areas. In such instances, other actions to manage
the flood risk have to be considered such as
individual property level protection.
Even when a large flood defence project is
affordable, there are often important actions which
are required to enable the project to perform, such
as the provision of an accurate flood warning so
flood gates can be closed. This leaves us with the
question: how to effectively assess the benefit of
these different and often interacting management
actions?
What are the aims?
The aim of our research is to help flood risk
managers:
•
explore a fuller range of flood risk
management options
•
identify and justify the selection of the right
flood management option(s)
•
understand the links and dependencies
between difference flood risk management
actions and account for these links in their
decisions
What have we developed?
We have developed a toolkit for flood risk
managers. This kit has four main elements.
The first is a framework designed to help visualise
the complex relationships between the possible
actions to manage flood risk. The framework is a
conceptual model of the flood risk management
system designed to help flood risk managers:
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•
•
•
consider a wider range of risk management
actions
understand the dependencies between
actions
communicate their decisions effectively
Secondly, we’ve developed new methods to help
quantify the risk reduction benefits of such actions.
The methods have been developed to help quantify
the amount of flood risk avoided or potential
benefits of different options. These methods
express benefits in terms of annual average
property damage avoided for the following groups
of flood management actions:
•
operation of flood defences that depend on
a flood forecast or warning – for example,
tidal barriers or gates
•
property level resistance and resilience - for
example, flood-proof gates/doors/airbrick
covers and raised electrical wall sockets
•
moving household contents out of the way
of flood water
•
provision of development management
advice – for example, where the
Environment Agency influences the
planning process
These methods also can help quantify the benefits
associated with enabling activities such as the
provision of flood forecasts and flood warnings, and
raising public awareness of flood risk.
Thirdly, there are tools and a supporting user guide
to help calculate values of flood damages avoided.
Two spreadsheet analysis tools, ANSR Lite and
ANSR, have been developed to implement the
quantification methods described above. The two
tools are targeted at routine and more complex
appraisal situations respectively.
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Finally there are data tables with associated
reference sources to allow flood risk managers to
complete the calculations required. Through a
literature review and case study analysis, we have
developed a useful dataset of percentage amounts
of property damages avoided. These data are
provided in the project report, with guidance on
their application for different scales of study.
Links with the Multi-Coloured Manual and other
tools
The methods for the calculation of the benefits
associated with property level protection and the
provision of flood warnings are consistent with the
methods presented in the Multi-Coloured Manual
(Middlesex University FHRC 2013). They are also
consistent with the principles in the FCERM
Appraisal Guide.
When will I find this research useful?
From consultations with a range of flood risk
managers we’ve identified a number of situations
where our research would be useful.
•
21
You are developing details of a property
level protection scheme for a community. In
particular, you’re interested in
understanding how sensitive the benefits
might be to the timeliness and accuracy of a
flood warning.
•
You are promoting a new scheme to
improve the forecasting and warning
capability in your area and/or you are
planning a flood awareness campaign. You
would like to estimate what the economic
benefits of these activities might be.
•
You are comparing options for a flood
defence scheme which includes movable
elements that have to be closed on receipt
of a flood warning. In particular, you would
like to know how the benefits of that
scheme might differ from a more ‘passively’
designed option.
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These potential uses are illustrated in the project
report by use of case study examples.
How has this research helped the Environment
Agency?
It’s helped in our national level planning and
prioritisation of investment in flood risk
management. It’s been used in drawing up our longterm investment strategy and in the flood incident
management investment review.
The research is also helping us understand how
effective the provision of our development
management advice is and is informing the redesign
of our approach to the National Flood Risk
Assessment (NaFRA).
The project synthesis report and supporting tools
will be free to download from the FCERM R&D
website in spring 2015.
For further information contact
Owen Tarrant
Owen.tarrant@environmentagency.gov.uk
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Focus on: Reservoir safety
Over the last four years the FCERM R&D
Programme has overseen a steady stream of
reservoir safety research. Since the Programme
became responsible for reservoir safety R&D, we
have worked closely with the community of
reservoir professionals and undertakers to meet
their research priorities.
Through this engagement we have identified the
need for a new research strategy and work is now
underway to produce the Reservoir Safety Research
Strategy 2015 (see pages 18 and 19).
Our biggest success has been in involving the
reservoirs community. We have actively involved
them in research projects. This has resulted in much
improved uptake of research outputs from the
Programme.
Below is an update on our reservoir safety research.
Guidance on reservoir conduits
This guidance will be published early in 2015. This is
a CIRIA led project which brings together a
collaboration of water companies which have
matched funding from the Programme to carry out
this work.
Investigating the structural safety of cracked
concrete dams
We achieved great value for money by delivering
this research through the Centre for Energy
Advancement through Technological Innovation
(CEATI). The results of this project were
disseminated to the reservoirs community in
November 2014.
Guidance on the design of flood storage reservoirs
This is an innovative project which explores the
‘what if’ scenario. With the realisation of the
growing changes brought about by climate change,
this project looks at the practicalities of using
reservoirs to reduce floods by using their storage
capacity.
The project will provide the technical background
on how reservoirs can be built to reduce floods. It
will also describe how existing reservoirs can be
adapted to be dual use, that is, to store water for
resource needs but also to provide capacity for
storage during a flood event.
This project began in October 2014. We aim to
publish its findings by the end of 2015.
Radlett Brook Flood Storage Area, Hertfordshire
Ingress of fines into a non-pressured conduit
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Guide to drawdown capacity for reservoir safety
and emergency planning
We are currently looking at the optimum hydraulic
capacity of low level outlets for reservoirs. The
research will examine the capacity required to draw
down a reservoir safely in an emergency in the
event that structural problems are identified. It will
draw together UK and international best practice to
provide a consistent and reliable approach. This will
be applicable to those designing new low level
outlets, those engaged in reviewing reservoir
emergency plans and those seeking to increase
their resilience through increasing their existing
draw down capacity.
The guidance is expected to be available in late
summer 2015.
Overflow testing of a reservoir in the USA
For further information contact
Dave Hart
David.hart@environmentagency.gov.uk
Scour valve test (courtesy of Severn Trent Water)
Performance of grass and soil in resisting erosion
This project brings together recent calls for
improved guidance on the performance of grass
cover, and for understanding and guidance on
predicting soil erodibility. It will cover the
performance of grass and soil in resisting erosion on
flood banks, reservoir banks and coastal defences.
The project is likely to involve several years of field
testing. It is hoped the data will feed into the full
data refresh of Eurotop guidance in 2017.
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Reservoir Safety Research Strategy 2015
Identifying and prioritising reservoir safety research needs
The reservoir safety community is being brought
together to identify and prioritise their research
needs for the next 5–10 years. We’re organising an
extensive programme of consultation with reservoir
engineers and reservoirs owners from across the
UK. The work will be completed to inform research
proposals for the FCRM R&D Programme bidding in
2015 to 2016.
•
1: many workshop – bringing together
representatives from all sections of the
reservoir industry to present the
consultation’s findings and prioritise the
projects identified during it
Raising the profile
The first challenge for new reservoir research
projects is getting their outputs accepted by
practitioners. In the past research findings have not
always been adopted by the reservoir industry. This
is generally because the research was carried out by
an isolated group of practitioners who did not
represent the views of the community as a whole.
The new project will raise the profile of the work
and engage with everyone involved with reservoir
safety. This has been achieved with help from the
British Dam Society (BDS). The BDS is an affiliated
subgroup of the Institute of Civil Engineers and
forms the UK section of the International
Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD).
Consultation
The project team is carrying out extensive
consultation with the reservoir safety community to
identify where their work can be improved through
research. This was done through a series of
consultation activities:
•
•
•
24
1:1 consultation – face-to-face interviews
with acknowledged industry leaders on
specific areas of research
1: few consultations – meetings and
interviews with groups who share a
common interest in research, either from a
technical area, part of the industry or a
geographical area
1: many consultations – conducted by an
electronic survey sent all BDS members
Research News Issue 26:
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Reservoir cascade
The workshop
The workshop was held at our offices in Solihull on
2 December 2014. Invitations were sent to all BDS
members with the aim of bringing together a group
of more than 50 Reservoir Engineers.
The workshop was attended by representatives of
all the major UK water companies and hydropower
generating companies. Representatives from all the
UK regulatory authorities in Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland were also there.
Before the workshop we talked to academics in the
field and invited representatives of the relevant
research councils. We also hoped to attract the
Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
leading thinkers and practitioners from the many
different themes of reservoir research.
An important part of the strategy will be to identify
appropriate routes to implement suggested
projects. It has become clear that not all the
proposals in the existing strategy fall within the
remit of the Joint Defra and Environment Agency
Programme.
For further information contact
Dave Hart
david.hart@environmentagency.gov.uk
The delegates at the workshop broke up into
working groups to debate the merits of proposals
under one of the main six themes. The debate was
fuelled by the results of the consultation, which
identified 50 potential research proposals.
What will the project deliver?
The project will provide a prioritised list of the
industry’s research needs for the next 5–10 years.
Through the extensive involvement of practitioners
in identifying and prioritising the proposals, we
expect to gain their support for conducting the
research and their commitment to adopting the
outputs from the programme.
This will benefit the FCERM R&D Programme by:
•
•
25
providing a list of projects presented in a
prioritised order
having the support of the reservoir
community to help with the research
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Our website: http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Email us: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk
Research outputs published in the last year
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jan 2015: Internal Drainage Board Beneficiaries and Performance Indicators (FD2659)
Dec 2014: Post Installation Effectiveness of Property Level Flood Risk Management Measures (FD2668)
Oct 2014: FCERM and the Wider Economy (FD2662)
Sept 2014: Synthesis of Social Research for Policy Decisions (FD2671)
Aug 2014: Developing the Internal Drainage Board Beneficiaries Toolkit and Performance Indicator (FD2673)
Aug 2014: Flood Risk Asset Inspection: Research to Improve Interventions (SC110008)
Aug 2014: Working With Natural Processes Research Framework (SC130004)
July 2014: Aquatic and Riparian Plant Management: Controls for Vegetation in Watercourses (SC120008)
June 2014: Funding FCERM Maintenance: Learning from Existing and Past Practice (FD2678)
May 2014: Framework and Tools for Local Flood Risk Assessment (SC070059)
May 2014: Guidance for Beach Modelling Based on Desk-based Performance Analysis of Existing Schemes
(SC110004)
April 2014: Flood Risk Management Partnership Funding Evaluation (FD2663)
March 2014: Flood Resilience Community Pathfinder Evaluation: Rapid Evidence Assessment (FD2664)
Contacts
Defra Flood Management
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Tel: 020 7238 6239 http://www.defra.gov.uk
Environment Agency
Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH
Tel: 0117 934 4001
http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Programme Managers
Defra – Stacy Sharman
Defra, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Email: stacy.sharman@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Environment Agency – Andy Moores
Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds, LS11 9AT
Email: andy.moores@environment-agency.gov.uk
Theme Managers
Policy, Strategy and Investment (PSI) – Emma Beckles (Defra)
/ Jacqui Cotton (Environment Agency)
Tel: 020 7238 1712
Email: emma.beckles@defra.gsi.gov.uk /
Tel: 07825 754924
Email: jacqui.cotton@environment-agency.gov.uk
Incident Management and Modelling (IMM) – Stefan Laeger
Tel: 07824 625355
Email: stefan.laeger@environment-agency.gov.uk
Asset Management (AM) – Owen Tarrant
Tel: 07748 933710
Email: owen.tarrant@environment-agency.gov.uk
http://evidence.environment‐agency.gov.uk/fcerm
Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research News is published by Defra, the Environment Agency,
Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. It is circulated free to anyone with professional interests in
flood risk management and coastal protection. We are happy to answer queries of a general nature but advise
readers to address specific technical queries directly to the relevant institution.
This newsletter was edited by Emma Milner on behalf of the FCERM Research programme. If you would like to
receive future issues of this newsletter please register via our web pages. For any other information please contact
the Environment Agency FCERM Research programme team.
Email: fcerm.evidence@environment‐agency.gov.uk