Kent Leven Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report December 2009 managing flood risk We are the Environment Agency. It’s our job to look after your environment and make it a better place – for you, and for future generations. Your environment is the air you breathe, the water you drink and the ground you walk on. Working with business, Government and society as a whole, we are making your environment cleaner and healthier. The Environment Agency. Out there, making your environment a better place. Published by: Environment Agency Richard Fairclough House Knutsford Road Warrington WA4 1HT Tel: 0870 8506506 Email: [email protected] www.environment-agency.gov.uk © Environment Agency All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. December 2009 Introduction I am pleased to introduce our summary of the Kent Leven Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP). This CFMP gives an overview of the flood risk in the Kent Leven catchment and sets out our preferred plan for sustainable flood risk management over the next 50 to 100 years. The Kent Leven CFMP is one of 77 CFMPs for England across the CFMP area at risk from main river flooding. and Wales. Through the CFMPs, we have assessed About 33% of these properties are in Kendal, and inland flood risk across all of England and Wales for a further 39% in the rural villages of Grasmere, the first time. The CFMP considers all types of inland Ambleside, Windermere and Coniston. Ulverston flooding, from rivers, groundwater, surface water has 7% of the properties at risk. In the future, due to and tidal flooding, but not flooding directly from the climate change it is predicted that the total number of sea (coastal flooding), which is covered by Shoreline properties at risk will rise to 2100. Management Plans (SMPs). Our coverage of surface We cannot reduce flood risk on our own, we will and groundwater is however limited due to a lack of therefore work closely with all our partners to improve available information. the co-ordination of flood risk activities and agree The role of CFMPs is to establish flood risk management the most effective way to manage flood risk in policies which will deliver sustainable flood risk the future. To develop this plan and ensure social, management for the long term. This is essential if we economic and environmental issues were taken are to make the right investment decisions for the into account, we worked with and consulted many future and to help prepare ourselves effectively for organisations. These include: United Utilities, South the impact of climate change. We will use CFMPs to Lakeland DC, Cumbria CC, LDNP, Defra, NFU, Cumbria help us target our limited resources where the risks Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Natural England, South Cumbria are greatest. Rivers Trust and the National Trust. This CFMP identifies flood risk management policies to However it should be noted that the NFU do not support assist all key decision makers in the catchment. It was all aspects of this plan in the Lyth Valley policy unit. produced through a wide consultation and appraisal This is a summary of the main CFMP document, if you process, however it is only the first step towards an need to see the full document an electronic version integrated approach to Flood Risk Management. As we can be obtained by emailing enquiries@environment- all work together to achieve our objectives, we must agency.gov.uk or alternatively paper copies can be monitor and listen to each others progress, discuss viewed at any of our offices in North West Region. what has been achieved and consider where we may need to review parts of the CFMP. The Kent Leven catchment has in its north the Lakeland fells, a steep mountainous environment that receives large amounts of rainfall and generates very high rates Tony Dean of runoff. There are approximately 1,500 properties Regional Director Environment Agency Kent Leven Catchment Flood Management Plan 1 Contents The purpose of a CFMP in managing flood risk 3 Catchment overview 4 Current and future flood risk 6 Future direction for flood risk management 10 Sub-areas 1 Ulverston and surrounds sub-area 12 2 Kendal urban sub-area 14 3 Coniston urban sub-area 16 4 Grasmere and Ambleside sub-area 18 5 Windermere urban sub-area 20 6 Upland rural sub-area 22 7 Lowland rural sub-area 24 8 Lyth valley sub-area 26 Map of CFMP policies 28 2 Environment Agency Kent Leven Catchment Flood Management Plan The purpose of a CFMP in managing flood risk CFMPs help us to understand the • Internal Drainage Board, water CFMPs aim to promote more scale and extent of flooding now companies and other utilities to sustainable approaches to managing and in the future, and set policies help plan their activities in the flood risk. The policies identified in for managing flood risk within the wider context of the catchment. the CFMP will be delivered through a catchment. CFMPs should be used combination of different approaches. • Transportation planners. to inform planning and decision Together with our partners, we making by key stakeholders such as: • Landowners, farmers and will implement these approaches land managers who manage through a range of delivery plans, • The Environment Agency, who will and operate land for projects and actions. use the plan to guide decisions agriculture, conservation on investment in further plans, The relationship between the CFMP, and amenity purposes. projects or actions. delivery plans, strategies, projects • The public and businesses to and actions is shown in figure 1. • Regional planning bodies and enhance their understanding local authorities who can use of flood risk and how it will the plan to inform spatial be managed. planning activities and emergency planning. Figure 1 The relationship between CFMPs, delivery plans, projects and actions Policy planning • CFMPs and Shoreline Management Plans. • Action plans define requirement for delivery plans, projects and actions. Policy delivery plans (see note) Projects and actions • Influence spatial planning to reduce risk • Make sure our spending delivers the best and restore floodplains. possible outcomes. • Prepare for and manage floods • Focus on risk based targets, for example (including local Flood Warning plans). numbers of households at risk. • Managing assets. • Water level management plans. • Land management and habitat creation. Note: Some plans may not be led by us – we may • Surface water management plans. identify the need and encourage their development. Environment Agency Kent Leven Catchment Flood Management Plan 3 Catchment overview It is useful to draw out some The key urban areas within the This CFMP area is important for general characteristics that are catchment are Kendal (26,000 nature conservation and landscape most important in our management residents) and Ulverston (17,000 value. Two-thirds of it is within the of flood risk. This CFMP area is residents). Overall, the CFMP area Lake District National Park, and predominately rural, being only has a resident population of around there are a number of nationally 1.5% urban. The Rivers Kent, Leven 94,000 people. Ulverston is located and internationally protected and Crake drain the southern fells of in the south west of the CFMP area sites including Meathop Moss the Lake District, and high rainfall, on the Barrow peninsula. Kendal and Nichols Moss Sites of Special thin soils and impermeable geology is in the east below the confluence Scientific Interest (SSSI), and combine to produce large amounts of the Sprint and Mint with the the River Kent Special Area of of run-off. Four other main rivers Kent. There are approximately Conservation (SAC). Depending drain lower-lying land, and smaller 1,500 properties across the CFMP on the location and nature of the rivers drain the coastal fringe, with area at risk from fluvial flooding. designation, flooding and flood a slower rainfall response. Most of About 33% of these properties risk management could bring both the rivers, apart from the coastal are in Kendal, and a further 39% positive and negative impacts. streams and some small becks (Eea in the rural villages of Grasmere, Many rivers in the CFMP area flow Beck, Dragley Beck), ultimately Ambleside, Windermere and into the Morecambe Bay Ramsar drain south into Morecambe Bay via Coniston. Ulverston has 7% of these wetland site. The policies and the Kent and Leven estuaries. properties at risk . actions from this CFMP will not significantly affect the ecological The upland rivers have little natural features of the protected sites. floodplain, being confined to narrow channels in the volcanic rock. In the middle catchments, there is limited floodplain, some occupied by settlements, and in the lowlands there are some wider areas including the Lyth valley. The Lyth valley was artificially drained to support agriculture in the 1960s, with pumping stations and embanked rivers. In Kendal, the Kent has been modified to convey water more efficiently, by deepening, widening and constructing raised defences. Most of the floodplain around Kendal has been developed for industry. We need to improve flood risk management in Kendal, and also in Ulverston, to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Rural CFMP area 4 Environment Agency Kent Leven Catchment Flood Management Plan Map 1 Main features Ulverston Town Centre Environment Agency Kent Leven Catchment Flood Management Plan 5 Current and future flood risk Overview of the current flood risk Flood risk has two components: • River flooding is the main source surface water flooding in this the chance (probability) of a of flooding in the catchment. catchment and further work is particular flood and the impact (or Kendal would be seriously being undertaken to assess its consequence) that the flood would affected by a major event, it has true extent.