ESI Launches New Groundwater Flooding Assessment Service

The new Flood and Water Management Bill will make it Local Authorities' responsibility to manage groundwater flood risk within their areas.  

Groundwater flooding occurs when the water table rises above the ground surface.  Locations on Chalk aquifers are most vulnerable because the Chalk experiences large and rapid changes in groundwater levels in response to rainfall, which can result in prolonged flooding events.  Insurance companies estimate that groundwater flooding claims amount to between £50 million and £100 million per year.  It is also estimated that 1.6 million homes in the UK that are outside existing fluvial and tidal flood risk areas are still susceptible to groundwater flooding.

Groundwater flood risk is not evenly distributed around the country (Figure 1).  As well as chalk aquifers, some other limestone aquifers (e.g. the Jurassic Limestone of the Cotswolds) can experience groundwater flooding, as can some superficial (‘alluvial’) aquifers.  As groundwater flooding is caused by the interaction of rainfall with underground strata, to understand the associated risks it is essential that a sound understanding of the local hydrogeology is available.

ESI has considerable experience in understanding the hydrogeology of groundwater flood-prone aquifers, and are nationally-recognised experts in mapping and risk assessment for groundwater flooding.  ESI staff contribute to many of the Environment Agency’s initiatives on mapping and developing early warning systems for groundwater flooding.  

ESI offers a service to assess the risk and extent of groundwater flooding in any Local Authority area, so that appropriate plans can be made on the introduction of the Flood and Water Management Bill.  We can also provide comparable assessments of pluvial, or surface water, flooding.

Please contact Steve Buss (01743 276100 / email) for more information on 'Groundwater Flood Assessment Service for Local Authorities'.