Flooding
Since 1998, there have been four major flood events in the region, the most recent in June / July 2007. In Autumn 2000, 1,874 properties were inundated, the worst flooding for fifty years.
Through our Floodline service the Environment Agency provides warning of expected floods and encourages the public to take protective measures against flooding. A new flood risk management strategy is being developed: this will be a mixture of the traditional approach of building and maintaining flood defences, and alternative approaches such as restoring wetlands to store floodwater.
Innovative schemes have recently been completed at Bewdley, Shrewsbury and Melton Mowbray, incorporating for the first time in Britain, demountable defences and green dams.
For smaller communities where permanent defences cannot be justified economically, we are piloting new types of temporary defences along parts of the Severn valley.
Good news is:
- Agency driven initiatives, such as flood alleviation schemes, can be a catalyst for further investment and regeneration – for example in Gainsborough, Bewdley and Kidderminster
- Over 166,000 properties in the region are protected by flood defences of at least a 1 in 75 year* standard.
*Floods are categorised by their size and the frequency with which they can be expected to occur. A 1 in 5 year flood is one that has a 20% chance of happening in any year - this is a relatively minor flood. A 1 in 100 year flood has only a 1% chance of happening in any year, but its effects can be enormous.
- Review of the Cheltenham Flood Alleviation Scheme
Pdf version of the Halcrow review of the Cheltenham Flood Alleviation Scheme, September 2007. - Midlands' flood events
Information on flood events in the Midlands Region. - Midlands' flood risk management
Information about flood risk management in the Midlands - strategies, flood alleviation schemes and temporary defences. - Upton Flood News Sept 2008 Issue 1
News letter discussing proposed flood defence for Upton upon Severn
