Experts from across the UK have met in Wales to discuss how flood risk management policies could help minimise the effect of flooding across the country.
The eleventh national flooding conference “Learning to Live with Flooding”, organised by ICE Wales Cymru, brought together civil engineers and other practitioners in Cardiff to share experiences and hear a keynote speech from John Griffiths on what turned out to be his final day as Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development. The Welsh Government cabinet changes that happened later in the day (14 March 2013) means that Alun Davies will now take on responsibility for flooding strategy as Minister for Natural Resources and Food.
John Griffiths AM, former Minster for Environment and Sustainable Developement gave the keynote address. Photo by Steve Pope.
Keith Jones, Director ICE Wales Cymru said “There can be little doubt that Wales is facing more frequent rainfall and storms as a result of our changing climate. There needs to be a shift in emphasis in the way flood risk is dealt with and we must place flood risk management at the heart of our communities.
"We, as practitioners, must help change public attitudes towards flooding. The shift away from the unsustainable ‘defend at all costs’ approach must be reinforced," he added.
The Environment Agency has been working with agencies across Wales to raise awareness of flood risk and the number of homes registering for the free flood warning service provided by the Environment Agency has doubled over the last two years to over 100,000 homes.
From April 2013 the new body Natural Recourses Wales will become a statutory flood risk management authority, taking on the current flood and coastal erosion risk management functions of the Environment Agency. The new body will take a holistic approach to land management and flooding, looking to deal with the causes of flooding and not just the effects. This will mean using the natural environment to provide some of the solutions.
The reality of flooding was brought home to conference delegates by Mary Dhonau OBE, Chair of the Flood Protection Association, representing the "voice of the flood victim". Experts from Environment Agency Wales, the Welsh Government, Cardiff University, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Swansea University, Halcrow, Conwy County Borough Council, MWH and coastal and flood risk management engineers Martin Wright Associates also shared their experiences and ideas with the delegates.
The conference was organised by ICE Wales Cymru in conjunction with Chartered Institution of Water & Environmental Management and Cardiff University and sponsored by Martin Wright Associates, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Welsh Government and Environment Agency Wales.