Working In Partnership To Reduce Flood Risk:

Theory Into Practice

Tim SmithFlooding Analyst, Strategic Asset Management,

Severn Trent Water

2Source: Vector Illustration

3Quote by Helen Keller

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National Infrastructure Commission report | Congestion, Capacity, Carbon: Priorities for national infrastructure - 2017

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WORKING TOGETHER TO REDUCE FLOOD RISK

AMP 6 Plan• Joint working performance commitment• 21 Partnership schemes to reduce flood risk

Lead Local Flood Authority

Environment AgencyHighways Authority

Water Company

https://www.stwater.co.uk/content/dam/stw/ST_Corporate/About_us/Docs/Business-Plan-Our-commitments.pdf

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WHAT… Example in Nottinghamshire• History of flooding. • Thought mainly fluvial. • 6 year programme. • Funding shortfall. Seeking

contributions.• Severn Trent investigations. • Severn Trent scheme triggered.AMP 6

ProgrammeFCERM 6 year programme

FCERM 6 year programme

AMP 6 Programme

Fluvial Flooding

Sewer Flooding

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WHY…• Collaborative Advantage vs Collaborative Inertia • Collaborative Advantage vs We need to

Example: School in Fenton, Stoke• Flooded 5 times internally.• 3 x flood events in 2016. • 3 x school closures in 2016. • Jointly funded scheme to address all forms of

flooding• Combined Sewer• Surface water sewer• Surface water

• Higher standard of protection 1 in 100 year• Below and above ground solution

3. Increase capacity of combined sewer

1. Measures to divert surface water runoff

2. Increase capacity of sewersurface water sewer

4. SuDS Bund

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2. Surface water sewer – floods and flows down steep road (STW)

1. Direct surface water runoff (LLFA)

All sources of flooding affect these properties

3. Surface water runoff into surface water sewer (LLFA & STW)

Lodge Hill Partnership Scheme • In 6 year programme• 30 Outcome Measures (OM2’s)• Jointly funding:

FDGIA allocation Local levy LLFA Severn Trent Water

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WHO…• Conventional sewer flooding (Figure 1)

• Complex flooding (Figure 2)• Increasingly a reality• Interactions• Sewer is pathway as well as source• Leads to questions: • Who has responsibilities? • Who pays? • How much?

• What does ‘Fair Share’ look like in reality?

• Resilience in this context is understanding these interactions and managing them.

• Lack of clarity and agreement can compromise resilience.

1. Sewer Flooding (Conventional)

2. Flooding from Sewers (complex)

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1. Swales

2. New Surface Water Sewer

3. SuDSbasin

Lodge Hill Partnership Scheme

• Shared responsibilities and funding

SurveysModelling FeasibilityDesign Communication FDGIA bids FDGIA OBCDelivery

• Swales (LLFA)• Surface water sewer (STW)• SuDS Basin and connections (Joint)

4. Throttled connection back into surface water sewer

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WHERE…• Aligning priorities• Pull in the same direction at the same time• E.g. Joint mapping to identify potential joint schemes

• Compromise to make the most of an opportunity• E.g. Slimbridge

Example: Slimbridge, Gloucestershire• History of flooding• Residents & Parish Council – All STW’s

responsibility? • Not LLFA priority but still shouldered

some responsibility. • Co-funding and co-delivery of overall

schemes. • Journey to ‘shared’ responsibility and

‘fair share’.

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HOW…

E.g. Re-use of abandoned subway, Mansfield

• Do as much as you can• With what you have • Whilst you are there

E.g. SuDS, CoventryE.g. Big Tunnels in Newark…… and gullies and kerbs

E.g. Integrated catchment modelling

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CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

• Eyes wide open – Working together can be harder and more complicated than just doing your own thing.

• Customer focus – Put customers at the heart of what is driving partnerships.

• Partnerships are key to resilience – Understanding and manage the interactions.

• Explore opportunities – Do as much as you can, with what you have.