Flood Risk Management

In recent years the importance placed on Flood Risk has increased and it is now a key part of most planning applications. Following the floods in 2007, The Pitt Review recommended new responsibilities and challenges for local authorities to mitigate flood risk.  Richard Allitt Associates Ltd has experience in the production of specialised flood risk assessments for a variety of clients. Our flood risk services include:

• Flood Risk Assessments 
• Urban Flood Forecasting
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessments 
• Breach Analysis
• Surface Water Management Plans
• Hydraulic Modelling

Specialist Flood Risk Assessments – An important element of most of any planning applications these days is the Flood Risk Assessment. We prepare detailed Flood Risk Assessments (Flood Consequence Assessments in Wales) for large corporate organisations and private individuals in accordance with NPPF, TAN15 and SPP.  We work in conjunction with the client to ensure that all possible mitigation measures are investigated.

Urban Flood Forecasting – Being able to forecast urban flooding in real time is a challenge but it is an area where Richard Allitt Associates are especially skilled. All urban drainage networks are designed to manage a maximum rainfall thus there is a flood risk for any greater rainfall event. This risk has been increasingly underestimated especially where the environment has changed through such factors as urban growth and climate change. It is necessarily the case that urban flood forecasting is short-term requiring rapid assessment and implementation of measures. Our work involves real time forecasting which is both fast and more robust using continual updates to the model referencing the latest rainfall and other data.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessments – Local authorities are responsible for the production of Strategic Flood Risk Assessments so that potential development sites can be identified.  We work with local authorities and other organisations to deliver these Strategic Flood Risk Assessments which can guide development decisions and meet the requirements of planning policy for flood risk.

Breach Analysis – In certain situations it is important to investigate and assess the flood risk if the existing defences fail due to a breach or overtopping. We are able to model flood defence breaches and overtopping using state of the art hydraulic modelling software to enable predictions of the resulting flood extent and provide guidance for the reduction of flooding risk due to such failures.

Surface Water Management Plans – Following on from the 2007 floods, Sir Michael Pitt recommend in The Pitt Review that local authorities undertake Surface Water Management Plans in their area so that areas susceptible to surface water flooding could be identified. Richard Allitt Associates Ltd has been involved in a number of these studies and we can bring our experience in urban drainage and modelling to any project.

Hydraulic Modelling – Hydraulic models can be used to assess the existing flood risk and the resulting flood risk in the future with climate change or with interventions. We have considerable experience in building and using hydraulic models of sewer networks, river systems and pluvial runoff to assess flood risk.

Remote Aerial Surveys – We also use our UAVs to aid with flood risk management, to find out more click here