Managing the risk of tidal flooding

The tidal Flood Risk Management Strategy

is now complete

What is the tidal Clwyd Flood Risk

Manag ement Strategy?

A flood risk management strategy is a 100 year plan that sets out how we should adapt, improve and generally prepare an area for dealing with flooding in the short term, medium term and long ter m.

The tidal Clwyd strategy covers the north coastline and inland tidal area between Abergele and the - border near Prestatyn. It covers the main centres of population around , and Prestatyn. In addition to the permanent residents living in the strategy area, many thousands of people visit the area each year, including holidaymakers at local caravan parks.

The tidal Clwyd strategy recommends a solution to tackle both tidal flooding from the and coastal flooding from the sea. The strategy will be reviewed regularly during its lifetime to take account of any changes that happen over time.

What does the Strategy say? Our overarching strategy is that all properties in this area should be protected to their current standard or better, through a combination of improvements to existing flood defences in the short term, and by realigning embankments in the medium to long term to make space for water. The existing coastal defences will be maintained and improved in future as necessary. The strategy

These ke y principles form the basis of our strategy for managing flood risk.

A combin ation of technical work, environmental assessment and consultation with stakeholders and loca l people helped us decide on the best short, medium and long term solutions.

Both the tidal defences on the River Clwyd and the coastal defences will be maintained at a defence level to provide protection against a flood with a 0.5% (1 in 200) chance of occurring in any one year.

Maintain coastal defences under Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) Cycle path embankment raised and sustainable matting material used to stabilise slopes

Raise existing embankments to original level by making sides steeper

Raise existing embankments but no work on walls or bridge

Key Pumping station

Maintain coastal defences under Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) Build new walls in same location as existing defences

Raise existing defences

Build new earth embankments on stable foundations

Set back new defences to New pumping station built at allow natural river processes Pont Robin sluice to replace Gypsy Lane pumping station Monitor and maintain existing defences and erosion protection

Key

Pumping station

Maintain coastal defences under Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) Monitor and maintain existing defences and erosion protection

Upgrade pumping station to increase capacity

Raise existing embankments for new climate change levels

Key Pumping station What have we done? The section of the Clwyd defences in poorest condition is between the railway line in Rhyl and the bridge at Rh uddlan, which continues to sink into the underlying peat. We completed a major project in 2010 to reinstate these embankments to their original height (the short term solution).

We have carried out a wide reaching consultation process with stakeholders and local people - the views recorded at our various workshops and community planning events were used to form part of the evaluation criteria against which all the options considered were evaluated. The consultation process was particularly useful in identifying the practical problems people faced in the ‘Towyn’ floods of 1990 (e.g. evacuation and protection of critical infrastructure).

So far our Flood Awareness Wales programme has visited 2,876 addresses in Towyn & Kinmel Bay, 3,003 addresses in Rhyl, and 352 addresses in . Working together with the communities in these areas we have completed eight community flood plans and seven more are in development. Next steps

We will be monitoring the newly raised Clwyd embankments so that we can top them up as necessary over the next few years. The information gathered on how they continue to sink will enable us to plan well in advance for moving them back to a new, more stable position. We will work closely with the affected landowners to find an acceptable alignment.

We will liaise closely with our partners in the local authorities to ensure that coastal defences are maintained and improved as necessary and that any new development takes this flood risk management strategy into account.

We will continue to work at a local level to increase the number of people benefiting from our flood warning service, focussing our efforts on increasing awareness, especially with vulnerable groups. We will be doing more to get people to accept they are at risk and help them to prepare so that they are ready to take action when flooding happens. Thank you Thank you for your continued interest and participation in this process – your views have helped us shape this flood risk management strategy for the tidal Clwyd.

Visit our website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/clwyd if you want to view our previous summary documents, or contact Environment Agency Wales on 08708 506 506 for any other queries.