Sustainable flood risk management involves the development of integrated approaches to reduce the probability of flooding, protect people and property from flood water, and minimise the consequences of flood events. We work with our clients to:

• understand the extent of areas at risk
• evaluate and record hazards and consequences
• develop sustainable spatial planning and flood prevention strategies
• develop preparedness and emergency response action plans
• protect assets and ensure resilience under climate change and future economic development scenarios.

Integrated catchment management

Our skills and expertise cover the technology and science behind the different strands of sustainable and integrated catchment flood risk management.

• contribute to and evaluate national, European and international floods legislation
• develop and design of flood monitoring networks and warning systems
• analyse flood extent datasets, and datasets related to the flood generation processes (e.g. climatic variables, flood flows, wave heights, defence performance)
• design strategic flood hazard mitigation for communities, critical infrastructure, and environmental assets
• evaluate and design a range of engineered flood alleviation options including soft and hard flood defence systems, and new or restored conveyance channels and storage areas
• support flood risk management plans - the final activity in implementing the EU Floods Directive - via underpinning, cutting edge research, local to national scale flood hazard and risk mapping , and holistic risk management strategies.

Sustainable decision making

Sustainable decision making must consider a wide range of environmental, economic and technical issues. HR Wallingford offers services in sustainable option appraisal - including decision support and optimisation tools that cover whole life costing, environmental and social costs and benefits, carbon accounting, and resilience to climate change. Current research includes:

• Real options analysis which is recognised as an important technique for maximising flexibility in investment decisions when future conditions are highly uncertain.
• Carbon footprinting tool to assess life cycle scheme carbon for use in engineering scheme option appraisal.

Sustainable drainage

Natural flood management includes enhanced flow resistance strategies, wetland and floodplain restoration and catchment land use planning. HR Wallingford is at the forefront of research into sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and has written a large number of the national hydraulic assessment protocols, design and construction manuals, whole life cost approaches, and standards for their implementation.

Standards for temporary flood protection

HR Wallingford provides the Kitemark test facility on behalf of the British Standard Institute and the Environment Agency, assessing the performance of flood protection products. We have also carried out laboratory testing of different building construction materials and techniques, and this has been used in the production of guidance on resilient construction methods.