how we’re reducing the risk of flooding for York
Our 5-year plan November 2016 What’s the purpose Foreword of this 5 year plan?
Following the floods of In the past, both the Environment Agency and our partners have invested substantially in York, which has significantly reduced the risk of flooding December 2015, the for thousands of residents and businesses. However the recent floods government allocated an and the increase in frequency of high river levels on the River Ouse have demonstrated that the flood defences in York are no longer providing the additional £45 million to standard of protection that they were designed for. Our work over the next the Environment Agency five years will improve the standard of protection to York and take into account climate change. to better protect 2,000 Since receiving the additional funding we have assessed what changes York is a beautiful city with a unique history going back over 2,000 years. As Chief Executive of City of York properties in York. could be made to the existing flood defences within the city and what new This is why we choose to live and work here, and why visitors from across the Council, I welcome the publication defences could be built. The results of this have been summarised within globe flock to experience the rich mosaic of the historic and the modern. of this plan and look forward to this plan. We will use this plan to guide our work in the city over the next working with the Environment Agency The rivers Ouse and Foss flowing through York have been instrumental in the 5 years. to deliver options for reducing the city’s success, providing first a defensive role for the Roman settlers, then an impact of flooding to the city over the The options we are presenting in this plan are based on our ambition to artery for trade and industrial growth as the city expanded. Our relationship coming years. achieve a consistent standard of flood protection across the city. with the rivers has not been without problems. Throughout history the city has regularly flooded, though none as fresh in the mind, nor as painful as As organisations, we will work In some places across York, raising or installing new defences to this level the events of December 2015. The city’s flood defences have protected together to consider where changes is unlikely to be acceptable or feasible and we may need to look at other residents on many occasions, and the people who live here have shown are needed to our emergency plans; options. We will agree the most suitable option by liaising with City of York remarkable resilience. where we can involve others in Council and the relevant communities. helping keep communities safe and We must remember that we cannot prevent all flooding. What we can do, how we can best utilise our resources and what we must do, is manage water better. Building new and improved to tackle and manage the flood risk to defences throughout the city, and look upstream at the catchment as a whole the residents and businesses of York. for new ways to slow the flow, store water, and reduce the impact of flooding on York. The £45 million investment provided to York by the government is Mary Weastell, the first step towards that. Chief Executive, City of York Council
Over the next 5 years, working with City of York Council, we will carry out a major programme of upgrading flood defences within the city. This plan outlines our options and where we think the greatest improvements can be made.
Beyond this, the direction we take together will be guided by you. Early next year, we will begin consulting on a long term plan to reduce the risk of flooding in York over the next 100 years. This is an opportunity for you to shape the way that floods are managed into the future. I hope you will join me on this journey.
Mark Scott, Yorkshire Area Manager, Environment Agency
2 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 3 What we’re Improving the Foss Barrier investing in York
We are currently working In recent years, notable investments include: Following the flooding It forms part of York’s city-wide flood defences and has protected the city on many occasions, notably during the floods of 2000 and 2012. The Foss • Almost £200,000 a year spent on maintaining the River Foss and the with City of York Council in December 2015, the Barrier - which is operated on average 5 times per year - prevents water from Foss Barrier over the past 5 years. and other partners to government allocated the River Ouse increasing river levels on the River Foss, which would cause flooding along the Foss Basin. ensure we invest the • £4.2 million from the government in the Water End flood alleviation £17 million of funding to scheme. City of York Council has contributed an additional £1 million. During the December 2015 floods, water from the River Foss entered the additional funding that improve and upgrade the • Developed models for the rivers Ouse and Foss to inform the design pumping station causing serious damage to the electrics. The barrier was has been allocated to York, of the proposed work and inform future catchment-wide actions. Foss Barrier. back in operation in just over 2 days and has been used on a number of occasions since. to improve the level of From the additional funding from the government in 2016, we will: The barrier was built as protection against flooding In April 2016, we started to repair and upgrade the barrier to make it more resilient to future floods, whilst making sure it fits into its surrounding • Invest up to £17 million to upgrade and improve the Foss Barrier. part of an extensive flood across the city. environment. • Invest the £45 million over the next 5 years to better protect at least management programme As part of the improvement work, we’ve installed new pumps which have 2,000 properties from flooding within York’s administrative boundary. in response to the a higher pumping capacity that would be able to deal with the amount of Our partners, City of York Council have already allocated (as of floods of 1982 and was water that came down the River Foss on Boxing Day 2015. During the next November 2016) over £500,000 in Property Level Resilience Grants to phase of work, we will raise the height of the building and further improve help residents to better protect their homes. completed in 1987. the pumping capacity. The substantial part of the upgrade will be completed by December 2017 and the barrier will continue to be fully operational throughout the work.
4 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Artist’s impression of the completed Foss Barrier Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 5 Foss Barrier £45 million new pumps What we’ve done has been from the installed since the floods operated 4 times government for at the Foss since the flooding York’s flood defences Barrier
Flooding has devastating effects January February March April Allocated £10 million from the Started flood defence repairs. The government announced an Announced City of York Council on lives and livelihoods. Storms government for an upgrade to extra £45 million for York’s flood independent review panel. Held 5 public drop-in sessions the Foss Barrier. defences. across the city. Started improvements to the Eva and Frank in December 2015 Started inspecting our flood A further £7 million from the Foss Barrier. defences and carried out Established a team to deal government for Foss Barrier. caused record rainfall across emergency repairs. specifically with flood recovery. Reviewed and updated the flood Attended and presented at 8 MP warning areas for York based on Yorkshire. led meetings where councillors public feedback. and constituents were present.
May June July August The 627 households and Published the Foss Barrier Began scheme feasibility studies Carried out improvements to Continued repairs to flood businesses in York that were investigation report. and assessments. river level monitoring. defences. Held a 2-day public exhibition Published report on the flooded on Boxing Day have spent in the city. feedback received from the public exhibition. most of this year dealing with its effects. Since then, we, City of
York Council and our partners September October November have taken action to reduce the Started installing 8 new Foss Completed the York detailed Second exhibition highlighting Barrier pumps. model reports and results. our 5 year plan for York’s flood risk of flooding. defences.
Completed installing 8 new Foss Barrier pumps.
6 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 7 River Foss Where we are looking A19 at doing work Strensall River Ouse
Our work over the next 5 years will focus on 10 ‘communities’. Earswick Haxby These ‘communities’ are areas within York‘s River Ouse administrative boundary, alongside the River Ouse, River Nidd the River Foss and their tributaries, where there is a Nether risk of flooding. Poppleton
Rawcliffe We have used historical flooding information and A1036 knowledge of the current flood defences to identify Upper Poppleton these. They are divided naturally by land features such as roads, rivers and high ground. Community: ■■ Bishopthorpe A59 A166 The next few pages outline a range of possibilities we ■■ Clementhorpe are considering for each community to achieve a better ■■ Clifton and A1079 standard of protection from flooding across York. Rawcliffe ■■ Foss ■■ Fulford A1237 ■■ Holgate A1036 A19 The following list of possible work has been ■■ Naburn and Acaster Malbis created using historical information, an Fulford A64 ■■ Osbaldwick independent review and from suggestions and Tang Hall by members of the public. This work shows ■■ Poppleton what we would need to do to provide ■■ York city centre York with improved flood protection, but Bishopthorpe will require further analysis around their Copmanthorpe feasibility, cost and appropriateness for the
community/area concerned. Naburn Racecourse
A64 Train Station River Ouse
8 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 9 River Foss A19 Strensall
Foss community Poppleton community Earswick Haxby
Work we are doing: Possible work could include: Foss Barrier and pumping Construct new flood walls station River Foss Build a wall of up to 2.5 metres We are upgrading the FossA19 Barrier in height to join the high ground Nether and pumping station which will Strensall north of Main Street to the Poppleton significantly reduce the risk of high ground of the gardens of flooding to the Foss Basin. Ferrymans Walk. River Ouse
We would also include flood Rawcliffe Possible work could include: gates for access. A new pumping River Ouse Earswick Create storage area Haxby station would also be needed in A1036 We will seek opportunities to conjunction with the flood wall. Upper temporarily store water upstream Poppleton Poppleton Ings A1237 Millfield Community:of the city which could slow the Nether Industrial flow of the River Foss, reducingPoppleton Estate the need to construct further ■■ Bishopthorpe Rawcliffe defences within the Foss Basin. A1036 Upper Poppleton Community: ■Improving■ Clementhorpe the flow ■■ Bishopthorpe In key locations we may carry out A59 work in the channel to improve A1237 A166 ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ the flow Clifton of water alongand the Foss, A59 ■■ Clifton and Rawcliffe particularlyRawcliffe through the city centre. ■■ Foss A1079 ■■ Fulford ■■ Foss ■■ Holgate A1079 ■■ Naburn and ■■ Acaster Malbis Fulford A1036 ■■ Osbaldwick and Tang Hall ■■ Holgate Fulford A64 ■■ Poppleton ■■ York City ■■ Naburn and A1036 Acaster Malbis Bishopthorpe ■■ Osbaldwick Copmanthorpe
and Tang Hall Community: Community: ■■ Fulford ■■ Bishopthorpe Naburn Bishopthorpe A64 ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clifton and ■■ Clifton and Rawcliffe Rawcliffe ■■ Foss ■■ Foss ■■ A64 Poppleton ■■ Fulford ■■ Fulford ■■ Holgate ■■ Holgate ■■ Naburn and ■■ Naburn and Acaster Malbis River Ouse Acaster Malbis ■■ Osbaldwick ■■ Osbaldwick ■■ and Tang Hall and Tang Hall York City ■■ Poppleton ■■ Poppleton Poppleton ■■ York City ■■ York City
Bishopthorpe
3 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 44 5 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 66 10 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan CopmanthorpeEnvironment Agency Our 5-year plan 11
Naburn
A64 River Ouse A19 Strensall
River Foss A19 Strensall Earswick River Ouse Haxby
Nether Clifton and Rawcliffe community EarswickHolgate communityPoppleton River Ouse Haxby Rawcliffe A1036 Upper Poppleton Community: Possible work could include: Possible work could include: Increase pumping capacity Construct new embankments ■■ BishopthorpeConstruct a new fully automated Build an embankment of up pumping station where Blue Beck to 2.8 metres high along River enters Clifton Ings. Increase the Gale Lane Drain to prevent ■■ Ouse Clementhorpepumping capacity and resilience River Rawcliffe water going over onto Hob of the existing Burdyke Beck Ouse Moor Drive. pumping station. A1036 A166 ■■ Clifton and Increase pumping resilience A59 Rawcliffe Raise embankments Raise the height of the Holgate Raise existing embankments by Blue Beck Beck pumping station and Holgate River Community: between 1.2 and 1.5 metres at access road to improve its Beck Foss ■■ Burdyke Beck Foss Clifton Ings, Lower Bootham and A1237 resilience to flooding. A1079 St Olave’s School. ■■ Bishopthorpe Holgate ■■ Fulford Construct new embankments Clifton Clifton ■■ Clementhorpe Build a high earth embankment A59 Ings ■■ Holgate or flood wall to the rear of A166 ■■ Clifton and Government House Road. Knavesmire ■■ Naburn and Hob Rawcliffe Raise flood walls Moor Acaster MalbisRaise the height of the Almery A1036 Terrace flood wall by up to 1.1 ■■ Foss metres using demountable A1079 ■■ Osbaldwick defences. ■■ Fulford and Tang Hall Fulford A64 ■■ Holgate ■■ Poppleton ■■ Naburn and ■■ York City A1237 Acaster Malbis A1036 ■■ Osbaldwick Bishopthorpe and Tang Hall Fulford A64 ■■ Poppleton Copmanthorpe Community: Community: ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clifton and ■■ Clifton and ■■ York City Rawcliffe Rawcliffe ■■ Foss ■■ Foss ■■ Fulford ■■ Fulford ■■ Holgate ■■ Holgate ■■ Naburn and ■■ Naburn and Acaster Malbis Acaster Malbis ■■ Osbaldwick ■■ Osbaldwick and Tang Hall and Tang Hall ■■ Poppleton ■■ Poppleton Naburn ■■ York City Bishopthorpe ■■ York City Race Course Copmanthorpe A64 Train Station 7 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 88 9 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 1010
12 Environment Agency Our five year plan RiverEnvironment AgencyOuse Our five year plan 13 Naburn
A64 River Ouse River Foss A19 Strensall
Earswick River Foss River Ouse Haxby A19 Strensall
Nether Poppleton Earswick River Ouse Haxby Rawcliffe A1036 Upper Poppleton York city centre community Nether Osbaldwick and Tang Hall Beck Poppletoncommunity Community: Rawcliffe ■■ Bishopthorpe Possible work could include: Possible work could include: Raise land Upper Poppleton Raise land Community: Increase the height of the footpath Increase the height of both A1036 ■■ between Scarborough Bridge River banks of Osbaldwick Beck at Clementhorpe footbridge and Earlsborough Foss Melrosegate between 0.1 and ■■ Bishopthorpe Terrace and the roundabout on 1.4 metres; on the left bank of Tower Street.A59 Osbaldwick Beck at Burnholme A166 Drive and Millfield Lane; on the ■■ Clifton and ■■ Clementhorpe Construct new flood walls or Minster right bank of Osbaldwick Beck at River gates Foss OutgangA59 Lane commercial units. A166 Rawcliffe ■■ Clifton and Build new flood gate and 1.3 Tang Hall Beck metre high wall in the post office Construct new flood walls or Rawcliffe car park; build a 0.9 metre high gates wall and gates at Memorial With heights between 0.6 and Osbaldwick ■■ Foss Clifford’s Beck ■■ Foss Gardens; build demountable walls Tower 1.8 metres, we will look to A1079 along Skeldergate, Queen Staithes install a gate at the entrance to A1079 ■■ Fulford and Kings Staithes; install new James Street traveller site; build A1079 ■■ Fulford defences from Lower Friargate to a wall along the right bank of ■■ South Esplanade and install flood Tang Hall Beck; build a new wall Holgate gates; build a 0.8 metre high wall A19 along Osbaldwick Beck at Tang ■■ Holgate and flood gates along edge of River Hall Lane crossing; build a wall A19 ■■ Naburn and Tower Gardens Ouse A1237 along both banks of Osbaldwick Beck along Murton Way and Raise embankments A1036 Acaster Malbis Osbaldwick Village – this would At Museum Gardens by up to 1 ■■ also require approximately 22 Naburn and A1237 metre. ■■ Osbaldwick A1036 flood gates to allow access to Acaster Malbis Raise existing flood walls/gates estates and properties. and Tang Hall Replace the existing gate at Fulford A64 Marygate with one that has a ■■ Poppleton height of up to 2.1 metres; replace ■■ Osbaldwick 12 flood gates at Earlsborough ■■ York City Terrace; raise the wall at and Tang Hall Earlsborough Terrace by up to Fulford 0.6 metres; increase the height A64 of the flood gate at Lendal Bridge by 0.7 metres; raise the wall at ■■ Poppleton Wellington Row and North Street Bishopthorpe and inside the car park at Park Inn Community: Community: ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Bishopthorpe by 0.55 metres; raise the wall at■■ ClementhorpeSt ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clifton and ■■ Clifton and George’s Field car park and accessRawcliffe Copmanthorpe Rawcliffe ■■ York City ■■ Foss ■■ Foss ramp by up to 0.5 metres. ■■ Fulford ■■ Fulford ■■ Holgate ■■ Holgate ■■ Naburn and ■■ Naburn and Acaster Malbis Acaster Malbis ■■ Osbaldwick ■■ Osbaldwick and Tang Hall and Tang Hall ■■ Poppleton ■■ Poppleton ■■ York City ■■ York City Naburn Bishopthorpe
11 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 1212 13 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 1414 14 Environment CopmanthorpeAgency Our 5-year plan A64 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 15 River Ouse
Naburn
A64 River Ouse River Foss River FossA19 A19 Strensall Strensall
Earswick River OuseEarswick Haxby River Ouse Haxby
Nether Nether Poppleton Poppleton Rawcliffe Rawcliffe A1036 Upper A1036Poppleton Upper Poppleton Community: Community: ■■ Bishopthorpe Clementhorpe Fulford and Germany Beck ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Clementhorpe community community ■■ Clementhorpe A59 A166 ■■ Clifton and A59 A166 ■■ Clifton and Rawcliffe Rawcliffe Possible work could include: Possible work could include: River River ■■ Foss Raise land Increase pumping capacity Foss ■■ Foss Raise the access to the bridge across Foss Improve the outfall of Tunnel A1079 the floodplain and install an access Drain. A1079 ■■ Fulford ramp. ■■ Fulford Raise land ■■ Holgate Construct new embankments Raise a section of Fordland ■■ Holgate Build a 1.5 metre high embankment Clementhorpe Road where it crosses Germany downstream of Rowntrees Park to A19 Beck (also replacing the culvert A19 ■■ Naburn and reduce the risk of flooding to Butcher A1237structure and raising parapets) ■■ Naburn and Terrace andA1237 Terry Street. Build a and join this into the new Germany Millennium Bridge Acaster Malbis Millennium Bridge A1036 Acaster Malbis second embankment to reduce the Nunthorpe Beck spine road risk to Reginald Grove. to hold back water from the ■■ Osbaldwick River Ouse. Raise flood walls A1036 ■■ Osbaldwick Fulford and Tang Hall Increase the height of existing walls Fulford Raise flood walls and Tang Hall at Terry Avenue and Postern Close Increase the height of the retaining A64 A64 ■■ Poppleton by between 0.5 and 0.8 metres; Middlethorpe walls by between 1 and 1.2 metres ■■ Poppleton the threshold of the steps at Dukes at Grange Garth and Alma Terrace A64 A64 ■■ York City Wharfe, increase the south defence running along New Walk and ■■ wall and the road way platform include 2 new flood gates. River York City entrance; increase the existing River Construct new flood walls Ouse defences at Lower Ebor St and Ouse Build a new flood wall around extend the flood wall to near 1.3 metres high with 2 floodgates Bewlay Street. Raise the height of the Bishopthorpe on St Oswald’s Road; extend the flood defence by 0.5 metres along existing floodwall on both sides Waterfront House on Terry Avenue. of Landing Lane and extend Construct new flood walls or gates the existing flood wallCopmanthorpe on Build a new flood wall 0.6 metresCopmanthorpe Fordlands Road. high to the rear of Waterfront House; build a new demountable barrier around 2 metres high across Clementhorpe Street which could Naburn connect into the existing defences. Naburn Race Course A64 Community: Community: A64 ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Bishopthorpe Train Station ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clifton and ■■ Clifton and Rawcliffe Rawcliffe ■■ Foss ■■ Foss River Ouse ■■ Fulford ■■ Fulford ■■ Holgate River Ouse ■■ Holgate ■■ Naburn and ■■ Naburn and Acaster Malbis Acaster Malbis ■■ Osbaldwick ■■ Osbaldwick and Tang Hall and Tang Hall ■■ Poppleton ■■ Poppleton ■■ York City ■■ York City
15 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 1616 17 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 1818
16 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 17 River Foss A19 Strensall
River Foss A19
Strensall Earswick River Ouse Haxby
Nether Poppleton Earswick River Ouse Haxby Rawcliffe A1036 Upper Poppleton Community: Nether ■■ Bishopthorpe Poppleton ■■ Clementhorpe Rawcliffe A59 A166 ■■ Clifton and A1036 Rawcliffe Upper Poppleton Community: ■■ Foss A1079 ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Fulford ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Holgate A59 A166 ■■ Clifton and ■■ Naburn and A1237 Rawcliffe Acaster Malbis A1036
■■ Foss ■■ Osbaldwick A1079 and Tang Hall ■■ Fulford Fulford A64 ■■ Poppleton ■■ Holgate ■■ York City Bishopthorpe community Naburn and Acaster Malbis ■■ Naburn and A1237 community Acaster Malbis
■■ Osbaldwick Possible work could include: Possible work could include: Bishopthorpe Raise land Raise land and Tang Hall Build up a section of Increase the height of the land Bishopthorpe Road to remove at Moor Lane by up toA64 1.2 an existing depression where metres. water gathers. A1036 ■■ Poppleton Construct new flood walls Construct new flood walls or Build a new defence along the Howden Lane gates A64 river bank adjacent to Front Build a new flood wall about Street and Maypole Grove. ■■ York City 0.5 metres high around the Acaster Lane Increase pumping capacity Dell, joining the high ground at Install a new pumping station B1222 Bishopthorpe Palace and raising Main St Mill in the low spot on the B1222 Lane the bottom end of Chantry Lane; road. Naburn install a penstock to the Chantry Acaster Create storage area Lane manhole. Acaster Lane Malbis Moor Lane Build a new embankment in Increase pumping capacity the field that’s west of the install a small pumping station Bishopthorpe railway line on Howden Dyke. at the end of Chantry Lane to pump surface water over the Naburn Weir new flood wall. A64 We will look to modify Naburn Weir if it is seen to reduce river levels. River Ouse
River Ouse
A64 Community: Community: ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Bishopthorpe ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clementhorpe ■■ Clifton and ■■ Clifton and Rawcliffe Rawcliffe ■■ Foss ■■ Foss ■■ Fulford ■■ Fulford ■■ Holgate ■■ Holgate ■■ Naburn and ■■ Naburn and Acaster Malbis Acaster Malbis ■■ Osbaldwick ■■ Osbaldwick and Tang Hall and Tang Hall ■■ Poppleton ■■ Poppleton ■■ York City ■■ York City
19 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 2020 21 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 2222
18 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 19 Embankments How this could look Embankment This is a permanent raised bank of earth. They usually require more space, compared to a wall and therefore tend to be built in open spaces and rural areas.
These are illustrations of the type of things we could York is protected by earth embankments such as those at Clifton Ings and the banks around St Olave’s School and in do. We will agree the most suitable option for each Museum Gardens. Where there is space, we could raise these embankments with location by working closely with City of York Council earth material and where there is not the space we could build and the relevant communities. a raised defence along the top.
Permanent part walls and demountables
Some permanent flood defences can be raised when a flood is expected by adding a demountable section that can be removed when not needed. It has pre-installed foundations and supports which require operation prior to a Permanent walls and gates Glass walls flood. We would look to use demountable defences where we need access or open space when there is no flooding. These defences remain fully in place and are built into the natural surroundings. During a flood, little action is required Fully demountable Partially demountable other than closing gates.
York has several areas protected by flood walls and gates such as Wellington Row, North Street and Lower Bootham.
We can raise these walls by simply building them higher by raising the level of the coping stones or using glass panels or demountable elements on top of the fixed structure.
• Raising with glass panes Sometimes, it may be possible to increase the height of walls using glass panels to maintain the view. Raising the coping stone • Raising the height of the flood walls with coping stones Many modern flood walls such as those used at Water End are constructed in a way that allows them to be easily raised in the future. Temporary defences Metal temporary defences
This involves removing the coping stones at the top and These freestanding frames can be installed prior to a flood and adding additional rows of bricks. removed when water levels have dropped.
This requires strong foundations built to withstand the The opportunities for using temporary barrier systems in York is increased load from higher walls, so it is not always possible limited and they are not the most effective solution. for older walls. If we can’t justify the use of permanent defences on technical or economic grounds then we may consider using temporary defences.
20 Environment Agency Our 5-year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 21 Our long-term vision The options in this document focus on improvements we can make in the next 5 years, What you can do next but we also need a long-term plan to better prepare York for the risk of future flooding and to mitigate the effects of climate change. To achieve this, we need to look at the catchment as a whole and understand the risks of flooding beyond the city of York. We have therefore started to develop a plan of action, working with a wide range of partners across the city and the surrounding area to prepare York for the future. This plan has been developed in response to the December 2015 The plan will focus on: flooding and sets out the main actions we have already taken and • Enhancing the way the development planning system can reduce the risk intend to take to reduce the risk of flooding in York over the next and impacts of flooding to new and existing developments. Washlands and reservoirs: letting five years. • Improving flood forecasting tools and technology to provide more timely water spread naturally across and targeted flood warnings. farmland reduces the rate at which it arrives in York. • Upstream storage and natural flood management techniques In the meantime, we are encouraging people living in York to be that can slow the flow and help regulate the flow of water into better prepared for the risk of flooding in the future. the city. Here are some important things you can do now: These are just some of the options we are considering, and we will be seeking your views on what • Find out if you’re at risk of flooding and sign up for flood warnings else we should include. This will begin – call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or visit www.gov.uk/flood in early 2017 and we will keep Tree-planting can you updated as to when slow water down • Familiarise yourself with our flood warnings system and what you and how you can or prevent it get involved. reaching rivers. should do when you receive a warning.
Land management: Slowing the flow: slight working with farmers and changes to fields and landowners to manage drains stop water arriving farmland run-off. in the river all at once. • Make your home more resilient to flooding – advice is available on www.gov.uk/flood
• Share your local knowledge, suggestions and ideas at [email protected]
To find out more information visitwww.gov.uk/flood
Resilient homes: building and restoration methods that minimise the damage a flood can do.
22 Environment Agency Our five year plan Environment Agency Our 5-year plan 23 Would you like to find out more about us, or about your environment?
Then call us on 08708 506 506 (Mon-Fri 8-6) email [email protected] or visit our website www.environment-agency.gov.uk incident hotline 0800 80 70 60 (24hrs) floodline 0845 988 1188
Environment first: This publication is printed on paper made from 100 per cent previously used waste. By-products from making the pulp and paper are used for composting and fertiliser, for making cement and for generating energy.
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