Making Space for Water
Urban Flood Risk and Integrated Drainage
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Latest News
- 25 June 2008 - Publication of the final report
on the Integrated Urban Drainage Pilots together with the final reports from each of the pilot studies
Timeframe
- Autumn 2008 - final guidance on surface water drainage for stakeholders
Project Update
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The River Hogsmill in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey - one of the 15 pilot projects. |
The final report on the the Integrated Urban Drainage Pilots was published on the 24 June 2008. In analysing the results of the pilots, the report identifies some key benefits from taking a more integrated approach to surface water drainage:
- Working together in partnerships has enabled stakeholders to share information, develop a collective understanding of flood mechanisms and risks, and learn about each other’s roles, responsibilities and funding arrangements.
- A variety of modelling tools can be successfully applied to calculate surface water flood risk. One pilot estimates an increase in flood volumes of 75% by the 2080s due to climate change and urbanisation.
- Modelling and mapping surface water flood risks can inform planning departments in local authorities when they allocate land for housing development. It can also inform emergency planners identifying safe havens and transport routes for use in extreme weather.
- Options developed through an integrated approach can be more effective and cost beneficial than ones developed by stakeholders acting individually.
- For new developments, drainage strategies can be produced which safeguard downstream areas, protect the development and are adaptable to climate change.
However some challenges have also been identified:
- Data and models are sometimes poor, not available or not fit for purpose. Using these data and models can result in incomplete or misleading flood risk assessments.
- Pilot projects trialled a variety of techniques for flood risk assessment but new guidance is required to indicate an approach which is appropriate in detail, cost and accuracy for a range of situations. A risk based approach is required to target detailed modelling where it is required. More simplified approaches can be applied elsewhere.
- Current institutional arrangements and responsibilities can make it very difficult to coordinate and fund an integrated series of cross stakeholder improvements.
- Many surface water flood risk problems are endemic to urban areas and may only be resolvable through the re-development of town centres and housing so that space can be made for water. The benefits of an integrated approach may therefore take many years to be realised.
- The skills required to carry out IUDM are in short supply, especially in local authorities who have a key role to play. Efforts are required to build capacity in urban drainage knowledge within local authorities and the Environment Agency.
These key messages will be developed further as we pull together guidance on surface water drainage for all relevant stakeholders in the Autumn. This will be an important tool to help local authorities in high risk areas to prepare Surface Water Management Plans.
Pilot Study Areas
The map below shows the location of the pilot studies. To access the pilot summaries and the more detailed final reports, please click on the relevant location flag or select from project list.
- River Aire - Bradford Metropolitan District Council
- Brent North (Wealdstone Brook) - Thames Water
- Camborne, Pool and Redruth - Kerrier District Council
- Forest of Marston Vale, Bedford - Bedfordshire and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board
- Hartlepool - Northumbrian Water
- River Hogsmill, Surrey - Environment Agency, Thames Region
- Lewes - Black & Veatch Ltd on behalf of Lewes Integrated Urban Drainage Steering Group
- Lincoln City Area - Environment Agency, Anglian Region
- Lower Irwell Valley, Salford - United Utilities
- North Gosforth - Environment Agency, North East Region
- Poringland - South Norfolk Council
- Telford and Wrekin - Borough of Telford and Wrekin
- Torbay - Environment Agency, South West Region
- Upper Rea, Birmingham - Birmingham City Council
- West Garforth, Leeds - Leeds City Council
Background
Making space for water identified a strong need for an holistic, joined-up, and integrated approach to deal with the problems of flooding. This is especially the case in urban areas where there is currently a complex interaction of drainage systems and a widespread difficulty in identifying ownership of the problem. This project aimed to use pilot studies to identify effective ways for partnerships to manage surface water flooding in high risk urban areas through an integrated drainage approach.
Ministers launched the start of the 15 integrated urban drainage pilot studies on 15 January 2007 (see accompanying Defra press notice). Halcrow were appointed as consultants to provide technical support and co-ordination of the pilot projects.UKWIR offered some co-funding to support the pilots. An online network was set up to share information between projects.
An initial scoping review (see below under Project outputs to date) was carried out to review ongoing best practice and to identify current projects that are relevant to the pilots or should be considered in developing future guidance. Trial partnerships took place through different lead organisations and a lessons learnt report has been produced for each pilot. Based on these reports and the results of the pilots, a final guidance document will be produced to highlight recommendations for achieving successful management. An Impact Assessment was also produced to accompany the development of the pilots.
Project outputs to date
- Final report on the Integrated Urban Drainage Pilots together with the final reports from each of the pilot studies
- Impact Assessment on policy options as part of early consultation on the scope of the Environment Agency Strategic Overview project (inland). A summary of stakeholder responses is also available.
- Scoping review prepared by MWH UK with significant contributions from the project board. Please note that this is largely as produced by the contractors and the statements and views in this document do not necessarily represent the views of Defra or other Government Departments or Agencies. Comments on this document and references to any other relevant experience that would assist the pilot programme are still welcome and can be sent to iudpilots@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
Useful Links
- Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology - POSTnote on Urban Flooding
- The Minister for Climate Change and Environment outlines his vision for the Government's Water Strategy, including a new approach to urban drainage
- Defra - Improving surface water drainage
- Defra - Diffuse pollution of water from non-agricultural sources
- Defra - Transfer of private sewers and drains
- Defra - Vivid Economics Report on Funding and charging arrangements for sustainable urban drainage systems (May 2007)
- DTI Global Watch Mission on Sustainable Drainage Systems (registration required)
- Urban Water Interreg IIIB European Project
- CIRIA Good Practice Guidance on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, including Lamb Drove case study, Designing for exceedance in urban drainage and Local authority network on drainage and flood risk management
- AUDACIOUS Adaptable Urban Drainage - Addressing Change in Intensity, Occurrence and Uncertainty of Stormwater
- Environment Agency Open Board paper setting out some of the policy issues on surface water management that came to light following the 2007summer floods.
Page last modified: 25 June 2008
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published: 9 December 2005