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TECHNICAL PAPERS
Jul 15, 2003

Integrated Flood Risk Management in England and Wales

Publication: Natural Hazards Review
Volume 4, Issue 3

Abstract

The flooding system includes the physical process of flooding, the inhabitants of floodplains, their infrastructures and ecosystems, and the people and organizations in the public and private sector that influence or are subject to flooding and its impacts. Flooding systems are continuously changing because of natural and socioeconomic processes, as well as activities that are intended to reduce flood risk. Flood risk management is the process of data and information gathering, risk assessment, appraisal of options, and making, implementing, and reviewing decisions to reduce, control, accept, or redistribute risks of flooding. Integrated flood risk management explicitly recognizes the interrelationships between all risk management measures, and their analysis, costs, and effectiveness, within changing social, economic, and environmental contexts. It can be helped by improving access to data and models, sharing and communicating risk analyses, involving a wider range of stakeholders, and coordinating risk management actions. Flood risk management in England and Wales is rapidly changing. This paper explains these changes in terms of their contribution to integrated flood risk management and describes further developments that are required to enable the difficult task of integrated flood risk management to be realized in practice.

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Published In

Go to Natural Hazards Review
Natural Hazards Review
Volume 4Issue 3August 2003
Pages: 126 - 135

History

Received: Jan 29, 2002
Accepted: Jun 27, 2002
Published online: Jul 15, 2003
Published in print: Aug 2003

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Authors

Affiliations

Jim W. Hall
Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Bristol, Queens Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK (corresponding author).
Ian C. Meadowcroft 
Environment Agency, King’s Meadow House, King’s Meadow Rd., Reading RG1 8DU, UK.
Paul B. Sayers
HR Wallingford, Howbery Park, Wallingford OX10 8BA, UK.
Mervyn E. Bramley
Environment Agency, Rio House, Waterside Dr., Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4UD, UK.

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ASCE OPEN: Multidisciplinary Journal of Civil Engineering