Flooding doesn’t respect borders – local authorities must work together, experts say

Floods don’t respect local authority boundaries when destroying communities, an expert reminded attendees at a water conference.

The urgent need to collaborate on flood resilience across borders, sectors and organisations was highlighted as a top priority.

Water sector representatives came together to share their experience working in what the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission says is the UK’s most vulnerable region.

'Once in a lifetime’ flood events are becoming more common in the UK. Their scale, frequency and impact show that the region’s current approach to address them isn’t good enough.

But different groups find that there are barriers to sharing knowledge with one another, making it harder to collaborate on resilience.

The flooding and water conference, hosted by the ICE and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), provided an opportunity to do just that.

It brought together representatives from public and private bodies, including:

• Yorkshire Water
• the Environment Agency
• Mott MacDonald
• Local authorities
• Integrated partnerships such as Connected by Water

What would collaboration look like?

Discussions highlighted that cooperation is needed along the entire water system.

For example, some work may be needed upstream of where the affected communities are. The parties upstream and downstream should come together to prevent future flooding.

Collaboration with farming and other industries

Collaboration shouldn’t stop outside the water sector, attendees said.

Representatives from major regional organisations called for investment from outside the water industry. After all, other sectors rely on water for their everyday operations.

The conference also explored sustainable farming techniques, like growing crops that can withstand flooding or capturing carbon through the plants. These offer a way to keep air and water clean.

These techniques showed that civil engineers could work with the agriculture sector to protect communities from flooding, all while ensuring farmers can do their job, too.

Keeping local people informed

Engaging communities in flood resilience is essential, delegates said.

Local people can play a part in protecting their area when they’re properly informed.

For instance, they can help operate local defences, like flood gates, and make lifestyle changes, such as clearing drains at home regularly.

It’s all part of the bigger picture

The representatives highlighted that the water system is deeply connected with nature and public health.

As such, when thinking about flooding and water quality, climate goals and local wellbeing need to be considered.

Environmental goals and responsibilities to the public must all be part of the same picture.

This resulted in widespread support for nature-based solutions that provide habitats and local community spaces.

For instance, rainfall capture pools that slowly release water while creating space for ecosystems to thrive.

Engaging the community in green (plants), blue (water) and grey (concrete) flood resilience projects was also suggested.

This could be achieved through local upskilling opportunities and involving schools.

The third annual ICE/CIWEM Yorkshire and Humber Flooding and Water Quality Conference was sponsored by Mott MacDonald.