Flood and coastal erosion risk management research and development
Flooding is one of the biggest natural hazards affecting the safety and sustainability of communities across Wales.
Evidence suggests that changes in our climate will result in heavier and more regular rainfall, stormier weather events and rising sea levels. These factors are likely to increase the impact and frequency of flooding and we need to be prepared. We need to ensure that our decisions, operations and advice to Government and others are underpinned by sound and quality-assured science and evidence.
Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme
To help meet our science and evidence needs, we work in collaboration with the Welsh Government, Environment Agency and Defra on the joint Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Research and Development programme. To find more information, visit the programme's website.
The programme, covering England and Wales, aims to serve the needs of all flood and coastal operating authorities by providing key evidence to:
- inform the development of policy and strategy
- understand and assess coastal and flood risks
- manage flood and coastal erosion assets in a sustainable way
- prepare for and manage flood events effectively
Ongoing projects
Current projects in the programme that support our national flood risk management evidence needs include:
Practical approaches to the transfer or decommissioning of assets – To produce a practical guide for those involved in the transfer or decommissioning of assets.
Flood Hydrology framework - The hydrology roadmap will set out a vision for flood hydrology for the next 25 years. It’ll be accompanied by a delivery plan which details specific actions to be delivered by the flood hydrology community within the first seven years.
Working together to adapt to a changing climate - flood and coast – Developing engagement with communities where the long-term future of flood and coastal erosion risk management is uncertain due to the impact of climate change. (linked to the completed Flood and coastal erosion risk management research and development framework: working with communities project)
Understanding effective flood and coastal erosion risk governance in England and Wales - This project aims to explore and evaluate flood and coastal erosion risk governance in England and Wales. The project will draw on lessons learnt from considering local and national approaches to Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM).
The Natural Flood Management (NFM) manual - Developing a new Natural Flood Management manual, which will provide design and management guidance to help practitioners with natural flood management.
Completed projects
Recently completed projects in the programme that support our national flood risk management evidence needs include:
Communicating impacts in flood warnings and forecasting - This project developed and tested innovative approaches to providing impact and context information in flood warnings and forecasts. The report sets out a best practice approach to the content and delivery of all types of flood warnings and forecasting.
Flood and coastal erosion risk management research and development framework: working with communities - This project developed a framework to determine the priorities for future research on how to work with communities to manage the risks associated with flooding and coastal erosion.
What is coastal squeeze?- This project re-defined what causes ‘coastal squeeze’ and assessed the best way of managing its past and future impacts.
Development of interim national guidance on non-stationary fluvial flood frequency estimation – This project has developed new tools and techniques to help us detect and take account of non-stationarity in flood frequency estimation for flood scheme appraisal.
Applying a Risk-based Approach and Improving the Evidence Base Related to Small Raised Reservoirs – This project presents a review of reservoir regulations that were introduced in 2013 and the provision for implementing new regulation for Small Raised Reservoirs, i.e., Water storage lakes/ponds that fall below the minimum size to be included within regulation standards.
Other research opportunities
We also work alongside the Welsh Government to seek additional opportunities to meet gaps in knowledge and evidence, for example through research council grants or by working with universities linking research activities with NRW programmes of work.
Recent examples are projects funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC),:
If you have any enquires, please contact us;
Customer Care Centre
Tel: 0300 065 3000 (Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm)
Email : enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
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