FLOOD WARNINGS

David Kemp

Team Leader Flood Resilience

FLOOD WARNING SERVICE� Environment Agency provides a FW service

for the whole of England and Wales, including Suffolk

� My team, based in Ipswich, covers from Hunstanton to Purfleet and all the rivers therein.

� My colleague Adam Foster and his team in Brampton cover the west of the county

Our Aim� The service aims to provide 2 hours prior notice of

flooding from main rivers or 12 hours prior to flooding from the sea.

� We warn of flooding from fluvial and tidal sources. The warnings are the same but the timescale and mechanisms are different

� The intention is to give everyone the opportunity to take appropriate action that will limit the impact of flooding

� We can not warn of flooding from sewers, burst water mains, or surface water flooding.

Flood Warning Icons

� Stay Alert� Stay vigilant� Early precautions

Flooding expectedTake actionProtect yourselves & your property

Significant risk to lifeSignificant risk to communitiesProtect yourselves

Issuing a Flood Warning� Forecasting

� Targeting

� Dissemination

Forecasting� A subject in itself� For fluvial flooding we utilise weather radar, rain

gauges and river gauges to give 2 hours notice of flooding.

� For tidal flooding gauges are too late and the latest computer models are used to predict the tide height.

� 2 – 5 days ahead, probabilistic forecasts� Deterministic from 36 hours� Every 12 or 6 hours

Targeting� Dependant on levels (forecast or actual) we

will issue a Flood Alert, Flood Warning or Severe Flood Warning

� We are able to target the specific locations that will flood rather than stretches of coastline.

� Thus reducing false warnings and allowing the emergency services to target their resources

Tidal Warnings� Issued entirely with reference to forecast� Timescales range from 6 hours to 24 hours� It is NOT a sequential system – we issue the

calculated warning level

Fluvial Warnings� Are issued sequentially� Lead times 2-4 hours. Assume 2 hours� Unlikely to see a Severe Flood Warning –

although we have the capability to do so everywhere.

WHO DO WE WARN?� Those registered for our service� Those who did not opt- out� Members of the public within the flood plain� property owners within the flood plain� Professional Partners

� County &Local Councils� Blue light services� Media

How do we warn people?� Principal method is to warn people by our

automatic telephone message - FLOODLINE WARNINGS DIRECT

� Up to 5 numbers - can be mobile numbers� Text messages� faxes� Emails

Basic Parameters� AVM 2005 30 telephone lines� FWD 2006 450 telephone lines� FWD 2008 900 telephone lines � FWD 2010 1200 telephone lines� FWD 2012 1400 telephone lines

� Over a million properties receive our free service�

Website� www. Environment-agency.gov.uk

� In 2007 was able to manage 100,000 hits per hour.

� In 2012 we can manage 2,400,000 hits per hour.

� Now in the process of revamping the site.

Floodline� 0845 9 88 11 88� One stop shop for interrogating the system

either via quickdial or via operators.� Reporting flooding � Flood advice and literature� Registering for the system� Up to 542 trained staff at 4 sites across the UK� Over 10 times the number in 2007 (43)

What Next?� Find out if you are in a flood plain� Sign up for flood warnings� Consider a flood plan� Exercise the flood plan

New Flood Warning Icons

� Stay Alert� Stay vigilant� Early precautions

Flooding expectedTake action

Significant risk to lifeSignificant risk to communities