` Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan Consultation Draft (v5) (March 2008) 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 Rio House Waterside Drive, Aztec West Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4UD Tel: 01454 624400 Fax: 01454 624409 © Environment Agency March 2008 All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. Environment Agency Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan – Consultation Draft (Mar 2008) Document issue history ISSUE BOX Issue date Version Status Revisions Originated Checked Approved Issued to by by by 15 Nov 07 1 Draft JM/JK/JT JM KT/RR 13 Dec 07 2 Draft v2 Response to JM/JK/JT JM/KT KT/RR Regional QRP 4 Feb 08 3 Draft v3 Action Plan JM/JK/JT JM KT/RR & Other Revisions 12 Feb 08 4 Draft v4 Minor JM JM KT/RR Revisions 20 Mar 08 5 Draft v5 Minor JM/JK/JT JM/KT Public consultation Revisions Consultation Contact details The Parrett CFMP will be reviewed within the next 5 to 6 years. Any comments collated during this period will be considered at the time of review. Any comments should be addressed to: Ken Tatem Regional strategic and Development Planning Environment Agency Rivers House East Quay Bridgwater Somerset TA6 4YS or send an email to: [email protected] Environment Agency Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan – Consultation Draft (Mar 2008) Foreword Parrett DRAFT Catchment Flood Management Plan I am pleased to introduce the draft Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP). Flooding is a natural process; however it can pose a serious risk to human lives and uses of the floodplain. This CFMP contains policies that will lead to sustainable flood risk management in the catchment over the next 50 to 100 years. Flood risk has to be managed in a sustainable way in order to cope with future changes and therefore provide long term benefits. There are many factors within a catchment that affect flood risk. This CFMP assesses these factors and identifies those that will have the greatest impact on flood risk now and in the future. Within the Parrett catchment climate change and land use changes are the key drivers behind increased future flood risk to the catchment. The policies that have been chosen reflect the likely impact of these changes to flooding in the catchment and managing the increased risks. The CFMP policies will steer our future investment in flood risk management and therefore the policies have implications for other land use policy makers and planners. We want our public and private partners to use the information and policies in the CFMP in their decision making, especially as guidance for the planning of land use. We have developed a set of actions to implement the policies. The policies and actions were agreed following consultation with partner organisations in the catchment and public consultation. In some cases, we are not the body responsible for delivering the actions. Some of the actions are short term and others will be delivered throughout the lifetime of the Plan, depending on budgets that are available. The CFMP will be a ‘living document’ that develops as we understand more about flood risk. There will be a formal review after five or six years or when there are significant changes in flood risk. If you would like more information on flood risk, please refer to our website www.environment- agency.gov.uk . If you would like to discuss any issues from the CFMP please contact Ken Tatem at [email protected] Richard Symonds North Wessex Area Flood Risk Manager Environment Agency Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan – Consultation Draft (Mar 2008) Contents Executive summary.................................................................................................................................. v 1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 8 1.1 Background 8 1.2 Aims and scope 9 1.3 Policies 11 1.4 Links with other plans 12 1.5 Involving others 16 2 Catchment overview ....................................................................................................................... 18 2.1 Definition and extent of the catchments 18 2.2 Topography 21 2.3 Geology and hydrogeology 24 2.4 Geomorphology 27 2.5 Soils 34 2.6 Land use and land management 37 2.7 Hydrology 42 2.8 Environment and heritage 49 2.9 Communities and the local economy 65 3 Current flood risks & management ...............................................................................................70 3.1 History of flooding 70 3.2 Sources and probability of flooding 73 3.3 Consequences of flooding 82 3.4 Summary of flood risk 92 3.5 Existing flood risk management 94 4 Future changes..............................................................................................................................102 4.1 Introduction 102 4.2 Future scenarios 102 4.3 Assessment of future flood risk 106 4.4 Summary of future flood risk 110 5 Catchment objectives ................................................................................................................... 112 5.1 Introduction 112 5.2 Catchment opportunities and constraints 115 5.3 Catchment objectives 118 6 Policy appraisal .............................................................................................................................120 6.1 Introduction 120 Environment Agency Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan – Consultation Draft (Mar 2008) 6.2 Policies for the CFMP 121 7 Implementing the CFMP ............................................................................................................... 134 7.1 Action plan 134 7.2 Consequences of our policies 147 7.3 Monitoring, review and evaluation 148 Glossary of terms ..................................................................................................................................... a List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................................g Bibliography............................................................................................................................................... j Appendices The following appendices provide supporting information for this draft CFMP: Appendix A – Responsibility for flood risk management Appendix B – Environmental report and policy appraisal tables Appendix C – Review of consultation responses (to be completed after completion of public consultation) Environment Agency Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan – Consultation Draft (Mar 2008) List of Tables Table 2.1.1. Main features and assets in the CFMP ..................................................................................19 Table 2.1.2. Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) policies..........................................................................20 Table 2.4.1. Summary of geomorphological characteristics ......................................................................29 Table 2.4.2. Potentially destabilising phenomena (PDP) ...........................................................................30 Table 2.6.1. SPARQ land cover classification............................................................................................39 Table 2.6.2. Summary of Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) ...............................................................39 Table 2.6.3. Land management initiatives..................................................................................................41 Table 2.8.1. Environmental designations within the CFMP area. ..............................................................50 Table 2.8.2. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) within the CFMP area...........................................51 Table 2.8.3. Examples of SSSI habitats and PSA status...........................................................................52 Table 2.8.4. Condition of SSSI in each broad division ...............................................................................53 Table 2.8.5. Local district LBAP breakdown...............................................................................................57 Table 2.8.6. Potential policy opportunity areas for BAP species/habitats in the CFMP area.....................59 Table 2.9.1. Census 2001 population size data .........................................................................................66 Table 3.2.1. Summary of river flooding and its characteristics...................................................................79 Table 3.3.1. Main receptors at risk of flooding ...........................................................................................82 Table 3.3.2. Risks to people and community .............................................................................................84 Table 3.3.3. Risks to property and infrastructure .......................................................................................85 Table 3.3.4. Average Annual Damage (AAD) by policy unit ......................................................................88