Aire Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report December 2010 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 Rivers House 21 Park Square South Leeds LS1 2QG 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 2010 Introduction I am pleased to introduce our summary of the Aire Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP). This CFMP gives an overview of the flood risk in the Aire catchment and sets out our preferred plan for sustainable flood risk management over the next 50 to 100 years. The Aire CFMP is one of 77 CFMPs for England and groundwater, surface water and sewers. Just under Wales. Through the CFMPs, we have assessed inland 13,400 properties have a one per cent chance of flood risk across all of England and Wales for the first flooding each year if there were no defences in place. time. The CFMP considers all types of inland flooding, Flooding from other sources such as groundwater, from rivers, ground water, surface water and tidal canals and surface water are not as closely monitored, flooding, but not flooding directly from the sea mitigated or recorded, and so the risk posed from these (coastal flooding), which is covered by Shoreline sources is not fully evaluated. Management Plans (SMPs). Our coverage of surface We cannot reduce flood risk on our own, we will and ground water is however limited due to a lack therefore work closely with all our partners to improve of 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 the policies which will deliver sustainable flood risk future. We have worked with others including Planning management for the long term. This is essential if and Local Authorities, Yorkshire Water, British we are to make the right investment decisions for Waterways, Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) and Natural the future and to help prepare ourselves effectively England to develop this CFMP. for the impact of climate change. We will use CFMPs This is a summary of the main CFMP document, if you to help us target our limited resources where the need to see the full document an electronic version risks are greatest. can be obtained by emailing necfmps@environment- This CFMP identifies flood risk management policies agency.gov.uk or alternatively paper copies can be to assist all key decision makers in the catchment. viewed at our Yorkshire offices. It was produced through a wide consultation and appraisal process, however it is only the first step towards an integrated approach to Flood Risk Management. As we all work together to achieve our objectives, we must monitor and listen to each others progress, discuss what has been achieved and consider where we may need to review parts of the CFMP. There is a long history of flooding within the Aire CFMP David Dangerfield area. Flooding has been reported from rivers, canals, Yorkshire and North East Regional Director Environment Agency Aire 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 Headwaters 12 2 Skipton 13 3 Worth and Aire 14 4 Leeds 16 5 Bradford 18 6 Oulton 20 7 Pontefract 21 8 Lower Aire 22 Map of the CFMP policies 24 2 Environment Agency Aire Catchment Flood Management Plan The purpose of a CFMP in managing flood risk CFMPs help us to understand the • IDBs, water companies and CFMPs aim to promote more scale and extent of flooding now other utilities to help plan their sustainable approaches to managing and in the future, and set policies activities in the wider context flood risk. The policies identified for managing flood risk within the of the catchment; in the CFMP will be delivered catchment. CFMPs should be used through a combination of different • transportation planners; to inform planning and decision approaches. The following actions making by key stakeholders such as: • landowners, farmers and and their implementation will be land managers that manage subject to further appraisal and • the Environment Agency, who will and operate land for funding, and prioritised by their use the plan to guide decisions agriculture, conservation supporting evidence. The CFMP is on investment in further plans, and amenity purposes; a living document and actions will projects or actions; be updated as necessary to reflect • the public and businesses to • regional planning bodies and changing responsibilities and enhance their understanding local authorities who can use delivery mechanisms. of flood risk and how it will the plan to inform spatial be managed. planning activities and emergency planning; Figure 1 shows 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 Aire Catchment Flood Management Plan 3 Catchment overview The Aire CFMP is bordered by four The CFMP area covers the seven other Yorkshire and North East districts of Bradford, Craven, East Region CFMP areas, the Ouse, Riding of Yorkshire, Leeds, Pendle, Calder, Don and Hull and Coastal Selby and Wakefield. Urban land Streams CFMPs. The Aire CFMP is use occupies 22 per cent of the also bordered by the Ribble CFMP CFMP area. The area is recognised which is managed by our North as vital for the economy of the West region. region, particularly due to the designation of Leeds as a city The Aire CFMP area covers region. This will see significant approximately 1,114 kilometre economic growth and an annual squared and includes four sub- net provision of 10,440 residential catchments; the Upper Aire, properties within the above Mid Aire, Lower Aire and the districts. Worth. The River Aire flows for 148 kilometres from its source There are significant lengths of in the Yorkshire Dales near strategically important transport Malham to its confluence with links including the M1, M62 the River Ouse near Goole. The and M621. In addition to these lower 26 kilometres between major road links, Leeds Bradford Chapel Haddlesey and the International airport is situated Ouse confluence, is tidal. The 13 kilometres north west of headwaters of the CFMP area are Leeds city centre. characterised by swift-flowing The CFMP area has a wealth of upland streams, which flow environmental and culturally through former mill towns nestling recognised sites. These include in narrow valley bottoms. Below 22 Site of Special Scientific Leeds, the River Aire follows an Interest (SSSI), four Special Areas increasingly gentle meandering of Conservation (SACs) and two course through a broad floodplain Special Protection Area (SPAs). where it joins the River Ouse. There are 219 Scheduled Ancient Within this low-lying section of Monuments, one World Heritage the River Aire the importance of Site at Saltaire, and 22 Registered agricultural land is highlighted, Parks and Gardens. as the ‘grade’ of this asset rises to between grade one and three: excellent to moderate quality productive land. 4 Environment Agency Aire Catchment Flood Management Plan Map 1. The location and extent of the Aire CFMP area River Aire running through Leeds Environment Agency Aire Catchment Flood Management Plan 5 Current and future flood risk Overview of the current flood risk What is at risk? Flood risk has two components: Currently the main sources of Within the Aire catchment there are the chance (probability) of a flood risk for people, property, just under 13,400 properties at risk particular flood and the impact (or infrastructure and the land are: from a one per cent flood, without consequence) that the flood would taking into account current flood • flooding from rivers, have if it happened. The probability defences. There are approximately throughout the CFMP area; of a flood relates to the likelihood of 124 kilometres of flood defences a flood of that size occurring within • surface water drainage and that reduce the probability of a one year period, it is expressed sewer flooding, which have flooding throughout the catchment as a percentage. For example, a been recorded in Leeds, including at Keighley, Knottingley one per cent flood has a one per Skipton and Bradford; and Castleford. cent chance or 0.01 probability There are also over 300 properties of occurring in any one year. • flooding from tidal sources within the Aire, downstream at risk from surface water/sewer As part of the CFMP process, we of Chappel Haddlesey; flooding. have developed a catchment wide The consequences of flooding broadscale model to determine the are not solely related to the built risk of flooding from rivers, from environment.