Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Public Summary February 2015 Foreword • The effects of flooding We are committed to can be devastating. It managing flood risk through can cause people to both routine maintenance be displaced from their and physical measures, such homes for several months, as flood defences. We also cause major disruption recognise the importance of to transport and have supporting our citizens and significant impacts for the businesses so that they know local economy. if they are at risk of flooding and what measures they can Parts of Nottingham take to protect their own recently benefited from the properties. It is important construction of a £45 million that we focus our resources flood defence scheme along on the communities that the River Trent, but there is suffer the greatest impacts of still work to do to improve flooding. the level of protection to other areas of the city. One This Strategy has been of our biggest challenges is developed in consultation dealing with flash flooding, with the public and with the which is difficult to predict many different organisations and can affect the city with that have a role to play in little or no warning. With a managing flood risk across changing climate and the Nottingham. predicted increase in rainfall events it is important that the Council works closely with other organisations, including the Environment Agency and Severn Trent Water, and takes a long term and strategic approach to flood risk management. Councillor Jane Urquhart Portfolio Holder for Planning & Transportation Nottingham City Council 2 | Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Introduction • Sources of water, including The risk of flooding is The Nottingham Local the River Trent and its expected to increase in the Flood Risk Management tributaries, were historically UK due to climate change. Strategy has been important factors in the As Nottingham continues developed to highlight what growth of Nottingham. to grow, it is important the City Council is planning Flooding is a natural process that new development to do to manage local flood but the urbanisation of the happens sustainably and risk to our communities city over many centuries has does not increase the risk of now and in the future. It is a changed the way that water flooding, both in the city and source of information for all flows in our rivers, beneath elsewhere. individuals, communities and the ground and over the businesses prone to flooding surface of the land. Whilst it is not possible to in Nottingham City. It is also prevent all flooding there are intended to be an information Flooding can occur in many actions that can be source for the many different a number of areas in taken to reduce the impacts organisations that we work Nottingham and can have on our communities. It is with to manage flood risk devastating impacts that important that the limited across the city. affect people, property, resources that are available business, the environment are focused on the areas and The full version of the Local and transport. communities that suffer the Flood Risk Management greatest impacts of flooding Strategy is available on the to have the best possible City Council’s website. This impact. document summaries key information contained in the full strategy document. Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy | 3 What flood sources affect Nottingham? • Surface water flooding occur when all or part of Types of occurs when intense rainfall a reservoir dam structure generates overland flow fails. Wollaton Park Lake is a flooding that overwhelms drains reservoir that is categorised and public sewers, and as being at high risk due to River flooding occurs accumulates in low-lying the number of properties when the volume of water areas. Maps showing the at risk of flooding if the exceeds the capacity of areas at risk of flooding dam wall was ever to fail. a river channel. Maps from surface water are The reservoir is regularly showing the areas at risk available on the Environment inspected and the risk of of flooding from rivers are Agency’s website at maps. failure of the dam wall is low. available on the Environment environment-agency.gov.uk The Environment Agency is Agency’s website at maps. responsible for managing environment-agency.gov.uk Groundwater flooding relates to situations flood risk from reservoirs. There are two different where land that is not Canal flooding could occur categories of river: normally covered by water becomes flooded by water where there are issues • Main Rivers are usually emerging from the ground. with the management of larger watercourses. Main Groundwater levels respond water levels or a breach Rivers in Nottingham slowly to rainfall, river levels in embanked sections. include the River Trent, and abstraction activities Generally, locks and weirs River Leen, Day Brook, and can occur following on canals will control water parts of Tottle Brook, prolonged rainfall, depending levels and the risk of flooding Fairham Brook and on the local geology. In is therefore low. In the city, Nethergate Brook. The the unlikely event that the Nottingham and Beeston Environment Agency is groundwater would rise Canal interacts with the responsible for managing above the surface of the River Trent and flood gates Main River flood risk. land, the Council would be are operated to manage the responsible for managing this flood risk. The Canal and • Ordinary watercourses flood risk. River Trust is responsible are smaller watercourses for managing flood risk from Sewer flooding can occur that are not Main Rivers. canals. when the capacity of There are numerous the sewerage network is ordinary watercourses Integrated flooding overwhelmed or when there within the city, including occurs when two or more is a blockage or collapse of flood sources interact. Broxtowe Park Brook, a sewer. Some areas of the the upstream reaches For example, when river city experience high levels levels are high, sewers may of Tottle Brook, Robins of blockages due to citizens be unable to drain away Wood Dyke and Tinkers and businesses flushing resulting in a backing up Leen. Nottingham City sanitary products into toilets effect, which can lead to Council is responsible or pouring fats, oils and flooding. for managing ordinary grease down the sink. Severn watercourse flood risk. Trent Water is responsible for managing flooding from the sewerage network. Reservoir flooding can 4 | Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Brook. These aim to direct These documents can Existing plans new development away be found on the City from flood risk areas Council’s website at www. and strategies and promote sustainable nottinghamcity.gov.uk development or to request a copy email for managing drainage@nottinghamcity. • The Preliminary Flood gov.uk or call flood risk Risk Assessment 0115 915 5555. provides an overview of Nottingham City Council and the risk from all sources of The Local Flood Risk other partners with flood risk flooding in Nottingham Management Strategy aims management responsibilities to pull together and build have plans and strategies • The Surface Water on all of these documents for managing flood risk. Key Management Plan to provide a succinct Action documents that the City identifies priority locations Plan for managing flood risk. Council uses include: for managing flood risk from surface water and • Strategic Flood Risk identifies an action plan Assessments covering for each area. Greater Nottingham, the River Leen and Day Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy | 5 Who has responsibility for managing flood risk in Nottingham? • There are many authorities • Work with other and maintaining highway that have responsibilities organisations to lead drainage features, such as for managing flood risk in investigations into road gullies. Nottingham. Due to the significant flood incidents complex nature of flooding in the city in urban areas it is important The that these organisations work • Maintain a register of together in partnership. structures or features that Environment have a significant effect on flood risk Agency Nottingham • Prepare for new The Environment Agency City Council responsibilities regarding is defined as a Risk the sustainable drainage Management Authority and In 2010, Nottingham City of new developments. has a Strategic Overview Council became a Lead of all forms of flooding. Local Flood Authority which The City Council is the Local They have developed a introduced a number of new Planning Authority and has National Flood and Coastal responsibilities: a responsibility to ensure Erosion Risk Management that the flood risk to new Strategy. The Environment • Lead on managing of developments is managed Agency is responsible for flood risk from surface and that the future growth managing flood risk from water, groundwater of the city does not create larger watercourses (‘main and ordinary (minor) flooding problems or make rivers’), estuaries, the sea watercourses existing flooding situations and reservoirs. worse. • Develop a strategy for managing local flood risk The City Council is the in Nottingham Highway Authority and is responsible for providing 6 | Nottingham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Management Authorities but • Trent Valley Internal Severn Trent work closely with the City Drainage Board (Fairham Water Council when managing local Brook) flood risk in Nottingham. • The Canal and River These stakeholders include: Severn Trent Water is defined Trust (formerly British as a Risk Management • Councillors, citizens and Waterways) Authority as they are communities, particularly • Network Rail the water and sewerage those in flood risk areas company that covers • The Trent Regional Flood Nottingham. They have a • Nottingham City Homes and Coastal Committee duty to provide effectual and other social housing • The Nottingham & drainage and are responsible providers Nottinghamshire Local for public sewers that • Nottinghamshire County Resilience Forum collect waste water and Council as the Lead Local • Natural England rain water and associated Flood Authority for the infrastructure.