As highlighted on the website in 2010, ‘Exercise Watermark’, the Defra, Welsh Assembly Government and the Environment Agency large-scale emergency flood exercise is due to commence across England and Wales from the 4th to the 11th March 2011. The exercise is supported by The National Flood Forum.
‘Exercise Watermark’ will test national and regional responses to severe flooding from surface water, rivers and streams, reservoirs, sea and tidal. Testing will take place on a national level for government departments and will be supported by a number of regional and community level exercises involving local authorities, emergency responders, businesses, schools, community groups and individuals.
Next Steps
It is crucial that local authorities, businesses and communities are prepared for the eventuality and severity of flooding. Exercise Watermark will play an important role for authorities’ and other organisations’ flood preparation through the numerous events and test scenarios.
The exercise will be reviewed from March and the aim is for an action plan from lessons learned to be published in June 2011.
A final report is expected to be published in December 2011.
Full details at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/category/news/press-releases/
Flood: Environment Agency invites organisations to apply to access live flood warning data
The Environment Agency (EA) has published an invitation to organisations to apply to obtain a licence to use live Environment Agency flood warning data. The EA states that this can be used to develop specialised flood warning products and services.
The EA reports that developers are already using the live flood warning data to develop products and the EA is encouraging operators of critical infrastructure to use access to this information in order to improve preparedness for future flood risk.
For further information or to register interest in accessing the data, contact Environment Agency Commercial Services on commercial.services@environment-agency.gov.uk
or telephone 08708 506 506.
Flood: Government flooding strategy consultations
In Scotland, the Flood Risk Management Act was introduced in 2009. The Scottish Government has published a consultation asking for views on new Ministerial guidance on Delivering sustainable flood risk management for SEPA, local authorities and Scottish Water. The guidance covers aspects of public funds invested in protecting the most vulnerable areas at greatest risk of flooding, flood management actions which would be adaptable to further climate changes and an informed public understanding flood risk and actions to take to protect themselves, their property or their businesses. Integrated urban drainage systems which could reduce flood risk and improve the water environment and the use of rural and urban landscapes to slow progress of floods is also included.
In England, the Defra and Environment Agency Consultations on future flood funding reforms and a National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England have recently closed. Defra states that the strategy will support the Government's Big Society and Localism agendas and meet requirements under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and implementation of the EU Floods Directive. The proposals included changing funding to satisfy one of the Pitt Review recommendations that those who would benefit from flood defences should be allowed and encouraged to contribute towards their costs enabling local areas to have more influence in what is done. It also invited Local Authorities to comment on draft sustainable development guidance for Local Flood Authorities. The Government stated the aim for the guidance is to provide information on what sustainable development means in regards to flood and coastal erosion risk management including local community involvement, sharing best practice, managing resource and climate change adaptation.
What does this mean?
The Government plans for the Strategy to detail actions needed by all involved in flood and coastal risk management in order to reduce the risk of flooding and coastal erosion, and to manage its consequences.
This is expected to include long term objectives and include communities having a greater role in local risk management decisions and the guidance on co-operation between authorities and requesting information.
Measures designed to enable communities, business and the public sector to work together to understand flood and erosion risk better and prioritise investment, provide clear risk management plans, ensure effective emergency and community response to flood incidents and help communities recover faster and more effectively after an incident are also expected to be the focus of the strategy.
In the funding consultation, the Government aim is to devolve more decisions to the local level in return for increased local contributions towards costs. It is hoped the proposals will encourage innovative, cost-effective options in which communities can play a greater role through greater awareness and engagement amongst those at risk.
The draft sustainable development guidance for Local Flood Authorities will impact local flood authorities (county councils, unitary authorities, district councils, internal drainage boards, highway authorities) that carry out a flood or coastal erosion risk management function. The Government is asking for feedback on how flood authorities can most effectively contribute to sustainable development, what additional information and support authorities need and how this should be reflected in the guidance.
Next stages
The responses to the Defra and EA consultations on the National Flood strategy will be taken into account and the Government plans to publish the final strategy in April 2011 and submit to Ministers and Parliament.
The deadline for views to be fed in to the Scottish Government consultation on ‘Delivering sustainable flood risk management ‘ is the 18th March 2011. The Scottish Government plans to publish guidance in May 2011 and have the most vulnerable areas to flood risk and local area plans identified by the end of 2011. SEPA and lead local authorities are expected to publish draft national and local flood risk management plans for consultation by December 2014 and flood risk management plans by December 2015. Lead local authorities are expected to publish implementation parts of local flood risk management plans by June 2016.
The Scottish Government consultation can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/01/14152758/0
For further information on flooding visit Zurich’s site for coping with sever weather: http://www.fightingfloods.co.uk/
Zurich Insurance plc is not responsible for the content of external websites.
