Pluvial flooding: new approaches in flood warning, mapping and risk management

In response to Defra's First Government Response to the Making Space for Water consultation, the Feasibility study into expanding flood warning to cover other flood risks (reference RF5) has investigated the technical feasibility of providing warning services for sources of flooding other than from rivers and the sea. Following a review of all nonfluvial and noncoastal sources of flooding perceived as significant, it was concluded that it is currently technically feasible to consider providing some form of warning service for pluvial and three forms of groundwater flooding. Although a warning service for pluvial flooding is considered less advanced than that for groundwater, a trigger rainfall forecast and a method for identifying locations most susceptible to pluvial flooding has been proposed. This form of service could provide responding organisations with more warning of possible flooding than is currently available.