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2-Design For Flood Risk PDF
2-Design For Flood Risk PDF
07 Designing
for Flood Risk
About this Document
This is the seventh of eight components of Climate Change
Tools, a package of guidance developed by the RIBA to
encourage architects to engage with the issue of climate
change, and to help them both mitigate and adapt to the
challenges of global warming.
Designing for Flood Risk gives users a general understanding
of the main issues that flood risk gives rise to, provides an
overview of current policy and legislation, and outlines potential
design responses.
The complete toolkit consists of:
01 Climate Change Briefing
02 Carbon Literacy Briefing
03 Principles of Low Carbon Design and Refurbishment
04 Low Carbon Standards and Assessment Methods
05 Low Carbon Design Tools
06 Skills for Low Carbon Buildings
07 Designing for Flood Risk
08 Whole Life Assessment for Low Carbon Design
Each guide summarises its subject and provides links to other
sources of more detailed information.
You can explore all of the RIBA Climate Change Tools at
www.architecture.com/climatechange
Contents
Introduction 3
An Integrated Approach 10
Further Reading 29
Glossary of Terms 30
Introduction
The Increased Risk of Flooding
Flood risk is a design challenge that is becoming increasingly relevant for
a number of reasons.
Climate change is predicted to cause sea levels to rise and more extreme
weather patterns, which in turn will cause greater risk of tidal flooding, inland
flooding from rivers and surface water run-off.
The pressure for new housing and current policies that prioritise the
regeneration of brownfield land, much of which is already at risk of flooding,
may well mean more new development within the floodplain.
Increasing urbanisation and higher densities of development have reduced
the amount of natural soak-away available and strained existing drainage
infrastructure. People and properties that are not within currently recognised
and defined floodplains are increasingly at risk of flooding, usually from
surface water.
The Threat to Place-making and Good Design
Standard responses to the risk of flooding include flood defences, barriers to
flood pathways and raising accommodation above the potential water level
onto columns or stilts. These measures are often not well integrated with the
overall architecture and landscape design, resulting in poor quality and badly
functioning neighbourhoods and streetscapes.
Flood barriers limit opportunities for linkage as they are often both physically
and visually isolating which can result in poor quality public and private spaces.
Also, developments characterised by empty undercrofts or dominated by car
parking at ground level tend to lack identity and a sense of neighbourhood.
Who is the Guide Aimed at?
This guide takes a design-led approach and is aimed at practicing and student
architects, urban designers and landscape architects, but will also have
relevance for clients, planners and other urban professions. It is intended to
compliment other useful guidance including PPS25, Development and Flood
Risk, its practice companion guide, Development and Flood Risk Guidance for
the Construction Industry by CIRIA and the Environment Agencys Building a
Better Environment A Guide for Developers.
River Yare Seven Mile
Reach to Breydon Water
Realignment and strengthening
What the Guide Covers
of the flood bank has been
carried out under a This guide gives users a general understanding of the main issues that flood
partnership arrangement risk gives rise to, followed by an overview of current policy and legislation. It will
between Halcrow Group
Limited, BAM Nuttall Limited give an appreciation of the range of inputs that other specialist consultants may
and the Environment Agency have to the design process and also the value of early consultation with the
as part of the 20 year, 100m
Broadland Flood Alleviation local planning authority and the Environment Agency. Finally, wherever
Project www.bfap.org possible, it will outline potential design strategies for integrating place-making,
Image by Mike Page sustainable design, and the control and mitigation of flood risk.
3 Introduction
The Sources of Flooding
Part A: Fluvial Flooding
Tidal flooding
Fluvial flooding
Surface water flooding is caused by of life. However, the social and emotional costs The Pitt Review: Lessons Learnt from the
rainwater run-off from urban and rural land from flooding can also be significant and are 2007 Floods describes in detail the specific
with low absorbency. Increased intensity of often widespread and indiscriminate in flooded events that took place in June and July and the
development in urban areas has given rise to areas. These costs include: displacement from impact of the floods on individuals, businesses
land with a larger proportion of non-permeable homes, the loss of personal valuables and and the wider community and economy. It
surfaces, a problem often exacerbated the ongoing fear and insecurity caused by contains a number of recommendations for
by overloaded and out-dated drainage the experience. how flooding can be better handled in future,
infrastructure. These circumstances, Potable water supplies may be lost or including recommending that design solutions
combined with intense rainfall, can give contaminated in a flood and this can have to flood risk are more widely considered and
rise to localised flooding. immediate health effects upon people applied across a range of developments.
This sort of flooding often occurs outside and animals. Factors which Determine the Effects
of recognised floodplains and because it is The economy can also be severely of Flooding
caused by quite localised weather conditions affected by flooding. Businesses may lose The level of predictability this affects
it is very difficult to forecast. Its onset can stock, patronage, data and productivity, the timing, accuracy and communication
also be very rapid, and the level of flooding and disruption to utilities and transport of warnings given before a flood.
very severe. infrastructure can have knock-on effects to
a wider area. Tourism, farming and livestock The rate of onset of the flood how quickly
In the summer of 2007 much of the flooding
can equally be affected. The Association of the water arrives and the speed at which it
experienced in Gloucestershire and Yorkshire
British Insurers has estimated the cost of the rises will govern the opportunity for people
was not directly caused by rivers but by
July 2007 flooding, in insurance claims alone, to prepare and respond effectively for a flood.
surface water. Large volumes of rainfall early
in the year saturated the ground and intense at over 3billion. The speed and depth of the water this
rainfall later caused both urban and rural The built environment may be damaged or dictates the level of exposure of people and
areas to flood. destroyed as a result of flooding with high property to a flood. It is difficult to stand or
repair costs and long periods required for wade through even relatively shallow water
Flooding from Sewers
reinstatement. The public realm is often badly that is moving. Flood water often carries
Flooding from sewers can occur where affected through damage and the deposit debris, including trees, and water over 1m in
there are combined storm and foul sewers of potentially large quantities of debris. Land depth can carry objects the size of cars. Fast
and their capacity is exceeded due to large contamination may also be transported and flowing water can apply devastating force
amounts of surface water run-off in a short spread during flooding. to property and other receptors.
time. Poor cleaning and maintenance can
Vital infrastructure may also be damaged The duration of the flood this is another
lead to blockages that can also cause
or disrupted. Electricity and gas supplies can important factor in determining the extent of its
local flooding.
be interrupted to individual properties but impact, particularly on individuals and affected
This type of flooding is hard to predict, has also to wider communities if sub stations and communities.
significant sanitary consequences for those transformers themselves are flooded. Road
affected, and can occur very rapidly. links, railways, canals etc. may be blocked
Flooding from Man-made Infrastructure causing disruption to the wider transport
network, and accessibility severely disrupted
Canals, reservoirs and other man-made for local inhabitants, especially amongst those
structures can fail causing flooding to areas considered most vulnerable.
downstream. Industrial activities, water mains
and pumping stations can also give rise to
flooding due to failure.
Place-making Sustainable
Design
Flood Control/
Mitigation
Temporary or time
limited uses
Sewer flooding
Groundwater flooding
Key Steps in the FRA Process Decision and Influence Point in Design
Broad assessment of flood levels, flow The scale of flood risk would then influence
routes, depths on the proposed site. the detail applied to the next steps, but
critically would identify early whether flood
risk would be a significant issue to manage.
It will also identify whether flood risk would
alter not only layout, but place-making and
urban form. Will also guide whether flood
inundation will need to be managed within
the site, as impacts of keeping water out
of the site are too significant on adjacent
property.
Simplistic assessment of the likely impacts of Scale of impacts and what potential
reducing the risks by removing that area of compensation is possible within or outside
floodplain from the river system. the site. How could the compensation works
(flood storage or flood alleviation works) be
incorporated into the urban layout and
landscaping?
Detailed assessment of current risks at the Confirm mitigation measures are suitable
site with the development in place and its for proposed development and integrate
mitigation measures. into the design.
Design of compensation works to reduce This is the critical phase and can be a show-
the impacts of the mitigation measures. stopper if significant works are required and
little remaining land is available.
Design of flow balancing for surface water Landscaping and layout issues, that may
run-off from the site. conflict or integrate with the flood
compensation measures.
A greater focus on the receptors and the Future users of the land or development
inundation patterns within the floodplain is must not be placed in danger from flood
now common. Managing the flood event hazards and should not be exposed to
within a development is essential, and to do unacceptable risks throughout the lifetime
this effectively two dimensional inundation of proposed development and land use.
modelling is now a standard technique used Understanding human vulnerability and
in FRAs to assess residual flood risks behaviours in design of any mitigation
works is essential to describe in the FRA.
Low risk
Medium risk
High risk
Very high risk
Risk:
Vulnerability Land use Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3a Zone 3b
Water-compatible development Water infrastructure and pumping stations
Sewage infrastructure and pumping stations
Sand and gravel workings
Docks, marinas and wharves
MOD defence installations
Shipbuilding, fish processing
Amenity open space, outdoor recreation
Less vulnerable Buildings; shops, professional, restaurants,
storage, distribution, assembly and leisure
Land and buildings for agriculture and forestry
Waste treatment plant
Minerals
Water treatment and sewage plants
More vulnerable Hospitals, health and educational;
Residential institutions and dwellings
Hotels and nightclubs
Landfill sites and hazardous waste
Holiday caravans and camping
Highly vulnerable Emergency services and command centres
Emergency dispersal points
Basement dwellings, permanent caravans
Installations of hazardous substances
Essential infrastructure Essential transport and evacuation routes
Strategic utility infrastructure, power stations
and primary substations
Figure 10 Flood risk vulnerability and flood zone compatibility taken from PPS25
Suitable use Requires mitigation Requires defence and mitigation Avoid use
Illustrative Scheme
Low risk
Land Use Planning
Petrol/oil interceptor
Hard surface channels
Surface water collectors hard surface
Grass swale
Surface water collection soft areas
Balancing pond
Figure 13 Figure 14
Figure 15
This approach will only be viable if the duration Provide additional flood storage
of the flood is limited. Tidal flooding caused by capacity by creating new
a breach in defences can be of short duration wetland areas
provided it is possible to repair the failure in Maximise visual and physical
the time between high tides. connections to rivers, coasts, wetlands
Even if this strategy can be justified buildings etc. to increase the amenity and
should be designed to allow rescue of commercial value of new
occupants by boat or air as an option of developments
last resort. Provide safe refuge on site for the
As previously discussed, it may be possible duration of a short flood by designing
to adjust land levels in such a way as to low carbon self sufficient schemes
protect some areas whilst providing flood with their own renewable energy,
storage capacity in other areas. The overall water harvesting and purification
flood storage capacity of the site must be Enhance the public and private realm
maintained or improved and there should with high quality robust landscape
be no adverse effects on neighbouring designs which promote water
properties. conservation and surface water
On a larger scale making additional space management
for water within overall river catchment areas Integrate SuDS with systems for
may contribute to a reduction in overall level the rapid retreat of flood waters.
of flood risk. It may be possible to justify
Safety
Ensuring that occupants needs are met Image by permission of Nissen Adams LLP
at all times
Illustrative Scheme
Mitigation
The illustrative scheme shows housing
within the area of low flood risk designed
with a combination of resistant and resilient
construction measures.
2 9
4
10
11
12
5
13
1 Thickened floor structure provides an 6 Operable roof light to facilitate drying after 10 Timber storage shelves below staircase
easily accessible deep storage space a flood to a height of 1,000mm above floor finish,
for mattresses, temporary bedding and water resistant storage below
7 Water storage tanks above WC allow for
emergency drinking water
toilet flushing during a flood if water mains 11 Concrete steps to a height of 1,000mm
2 Wall hooks allow for furniture and toy boxes are shut down above floor finish with timber steps above
to be raised out of harms way during a flood
8 Storage wall emergency supplies are 12 Removable water resistant concrete
3 Electrical sockets above flood line stored in deep cabinets and accessed in plank flooring
times of flood
4 A concrete dado extends to a height 13 Sloped concrete trough below floor creates
of 1,000mm above floor finish, creating 9 Storage in drawers forming steps of a path of least resistance for floodwater.
a resilient surface staircase for shoes, board games and Also acts as a reservoir in the event of a
emergency supplies minor flood. Sloped floor allows water to drain
5 Hard-wearing screed flooring maintains its
towards WC and exit at the rear of house
integrity and is easy to clean after a flood
Illustrative Scheme
Re-assessment of Impact
The illustrative scheme shows that through
a combination of land use planning, control
and mitigation measures the risk to
occupants of the site has been reduced to
an acceptable level. It demonstrates that
the flood storage capacity of the site has
been maintained in the most severe flood
event and actually increased for more
frequent but lesser flood events.
Reading www.architecture.com/climatechange
Ciria flooding homepage: advice on the repair and restoration of flooded buildings
www.ciria.org.uk/flooding
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: flood and coastal erosion risk
management
www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd
29 Further Reading
Glossary Breach of defences
A structural failure at a defence allowing water
Estuarial flooding
Flooding from an estuary, where water level
to flow through. will be influenced by both river flows and tidal
of Terms Catchment
conditions, with the latter usually being
dominant.
The area that is drained by a river or artificial
drainage system. Flooding
Overflowing of water onto land that is
Climate change
normally dry. It may be caused by overtopping
Long-term variations in global temperature
or breach of banks or defences, inadequate or
and weather patterns, which occur both
slow drainage of rainfall, underlying
naturally and as a result of human activity,
groundwater levels or blocked drains and
primarily greenhouse gas emissions.
sewers. It presents a risk only when people
Coastal erosion and human assets are present in the area
The gradual wearing away of the coastline which floods.
through a combination of wave attack and, in
Flood Alleviation Schemes (FAS)
the case of coastal cliffs, slope processes (e.g.
A scheme designed to reduce the risk of
high groundwater levels). This may include cliff
flooding at a specific location.
instability, where coastal processes result in
the periodic reactivation of landslide systems Flood defence
or promote rock falls. A man-made structure (e.g. embankment,
bund, sluice gate, reservoir, and barrier)
Coastal flooding
designed to prevent flooding of areas adjacent
Flooding from the sea. Coastal flooding is
to the defence.
caused by higher sea levels than normal
resulting in the sea overflowing onto the land. Flood-detention reservoirs
An embanked area designed to hold
Consequence of flooding
floodwater upstream from areas at risk
Health, social economic and environmental
and release it slowly. Embankments may
effects of flooding, some of which can be
be constructed across the river or off-line,
assessed in monetary terms, while other, less
with flood flows being diverted into the
tangible, impacts are more difficult to quantify.
reservoir area.
Consequences depend on the hazards
associated with the flooding and the Flooding from artificial drainage systems
vulnerability of receptors. This occurs when flow entering a system,
such as an urban storm water drainage
Conveyance function
system, exceeds its discharge capacity, it
When a river overflows its banks, it continues
becomes blocked or it cannot discharge
to flow over the floodplain, conveying water
due to a high water level in the receiving
down-stream, as well as storing water where
watercourse.
the floodplain may be obstructed and
releasing it slowly. Flood hazard
The features of flooding which have adverse
Detailed assessment
impacts on receptors such as the depth of
To assess flood-risk issues in detail and to
water, speed of flow, rate of onset, duration,
provide a quantitative appraisal of potential
water quality etc.
flood risk to a proposed or existing
development, of its potential impact on flood Flood hazard assessment
risk elsewhere and of the effectiveness An assessment of the hazards that would
of any proposed mitigation measures. arise from flooding, e.g. to identify where
flooding would occur, how deep the water
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
would be, how fast it would flow, how rapidly
A technique used for identifying the
would it rise and how long it would remain.
environmental effects of development
projects. As a result of European Union Flood risk
Directive 85/337/EEC (as amended 1997), this An expression of the combination of the flood
is a legislative procedure to be applied to the probability and the magnitude of the potential
assessment of the environmental effects of consequences of the flood event.
certain public and private projects which are
likely to have significant effects on the
environment.
30 Glossary of Terms
Flood Risk Assessment Inland flooding
(covers all scales of assessment) A study to Any flooding away from the sea, the primary
assess the risk of area flooding under both cause of which is prolonged and/or intense
present and potential future circumstances, precipitation (or the failure of water-retaining
such as changes in climate, land-use, infrastructure, such as burst water pipes or
development or flood-risk management. dam-breaks).
31 Glossary of Terms
Precautionary approach the type of development that is acceptable in we manage water bodies across Europe. It
The approach, to be used in the assessment a given zone is dependent on the assessed requires all inland and coastal waters to reach
of flood risk, which requires that lack of full flood risk of that zone (i.e. the probability of good status by 2015 through a catchment
scientific certainty, shall not be used as a flooding and the vulnerability of the based system of River Basin Management
reason for postponing cost-effective development). Plans (RBMP) incorporating a programme of
measures to avoid or manage flood risk. measures to improve the status of all natural
Scoping assessment
water bodies.
River basin management plan A generally qualitative or semi-quantitative
A management plan for all river basins assessment to confirm sources of flooding Vulnerability
required by the Water Framework Directive. that may affect a plan area or proposed Refers to the resilience of a particular group,
These documents will establish a strategic development site, to appraise the adequacy people, property and the environment, and
plan for the long term management of the of existing information and to provide a their ability to respond to a hazardous
River Basin District, set out objectives for qualitative appraisal of the risk of flooding condition. For example, elderly people may
water bodies and in broad terms what and potential impact of a development on be less able to evacuate in the event of a
measures are planned to meet these flooding elsewhere and of the scope of rapid flood than young people.
objectives, and act as the main reporting possible mitigation measures.
mechanism to the European Commission.
Screening assessment
River flooding A broad-brush assessment to identify
See fluvial flooding. whether there is any flooding or surface water
management issues related to a plan area or
Resilience
proposed or existing development site that
Constructing the building in such a way that
may warrant further investigation.
although flood water may enter the building,
its impact is minimised, structural integrity is Source
maintained, and repair, drying & cleaning and Source refers to a source of hazard
subsequent re-occupation are facilitated. (e.g. strong winds, heavy rainfall).
This is sometimes known as wet-proofing.
Source Pathway Receptor Model
Resistance The representation of the components of
Constructing a building in such a way to flood risk. There are three components: the
prevent flood water entering the building source of the hazard, the receptors affects
or damaging its fabric. This is sometimes by the hazard and the mechanism of transfer
known as dry-proofing. between the two. For there to be flood risk
all three, source pathway and receptor
Receptors
must exist.
Refers to those things that may be harmed
by flooding (e.g. people, houses, buildings or Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
the environment). The application of Environmental Impact
Assessment to earlier, more strategic, tiers
Residual risk
of decision-making policies, plans and
The risk which remains after all risk avoidance,
programmes.
substitution and mitigation measures have
been implemented, on the basis that such Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)
measures can only reduce risk, not eliminate it, The assessment of flood risk on a wide
and they may not be maintained in perpetuity. geographical area against which to assess
development proposed in a district or
Run-off
community.
The flow of water, caused by rainfall, from
an area, which depends on how permeable Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
the land surface is. Run-off is greatest from A philosophy of drainage which aims to
impermeable areas such as roofs, roads and control run-off as near its source as possible
hard standings and least from vegetated areas using a sequence of management practices
moors, agricultural and forestry land. and control structures designed to drain
surface water in a more sustainable fashion
Sequential test
than some conventional techniques.
A risk-based approach to considering
development in relation to flood risk, applied Water Framework Directive (WFD)
through the use of flood zoning that gives A European Community Directive
priority to development in areas of low risk (2000/60/EC) of the European Parliament
but if no such land is reasonably available, and Council designed to integrate the way
32 Glossary of Terms
Acknowledgements