If you are looking for our dedicated Luton flood page, we have now moved to focus on Enfield. Follow this link to find Luton-related flood information: Luton and flooding (link opens a new window)

Preparing Enfield for flooding

The Environment Agency, working with local councils, are focussing on specific areas at risk of flooding. We provide practical information to increase your flood resilience. We also want to hear your experiences to help improve our flood work in the future. For the next three months, we are focussing on Enfield.

Here, you can find:

• Practical advice on how to prepare, respond and recover from flooding.
• Enfield's flood risk and history,
• How the Environment Agency, Enfield Council and other authorities manage flood risk,
• What is going on in Enfield to reduce flood risk (links open a new window),
  
• Ways to tell us how we are doing and improve our knowledge (links open a new window).

Our advice will help you get back to normal after a flood in an easier, cheaper and faster way.

Prepare for Flooding

Know your risk. You can check your flood risk on the gov.uk website (link opens a new window). Enter your postcode and select your address.

Main river flood risk

We manage the Warning Service. If you are at main river risk, sign up on the gov.uk website (link opens a new window).

You will receive warnings of potential flooding. See our Extra Steps (link opens a new window) for more information on flood warnings and what to do.

Surface water flood risk

If you are at risk of surface water flooding (also known as flash flooding), sign up to met office weather alerts (link opens a new window).

Take the extra steps (link opens a new window) and find out about flood plans and becoming a volunteer flood warden.

Stay safe during a flood

Know what our flood symbols mean (link opens a new window) and respond accordingly

Use your flood plan to keep you and your possessions safe:

Remember:

• Move possessions upstairs,
• prepare an emergency kit,
• turn off your gas,
• water and electricity.
• Do not touch the electricity supply if you are standing in flood water.

Our Extra Steps Respond section (link opens a new window) gives more information on staying safe.

Get back to normal

Recovering from a flood can take a long time. It can also have a big impact on your health and mental wellbeing.

Preparing a flood plan will help you recover faster by reducing the impact of flooding and making sure you have all your important documents in a safe place.

Remember: Avoid entering flood water, take breaks when cleaning, use only use suitable equipment when cleaning.

See our Extra Steps for:

1. staying safe, both physically and mentally
2. practical advice on insurance, drying and cleaning your property.

Enfield's flood risk

Flooding in Enfield comes from several sources, including rivers, surface water, groundwater and sewers. The highest risks are from main river (fluvial) and surface water flooding.

Enfield has over 100km of river, with four main rivers contributing to local flood risk: Salmons Brook, Pymmes Brook, Turkey Brook and the River Lee.

Surface water flooding, flash flooding, happens when heavy rain cannot drain away. Recent data shows that over 320,000 properties in London (link opens a new window) are at high surface water flood risk..

Enfield’s last major flood event was in 2001 on Montagu Road. 192 properties and key infrastructure were severely affected. With climate change increasing the frequency and severity of flooding, understanding these risks is essential for protecting our communities.

We encourage you to check your flood risk (link opens a new window) and know how to prepare.

What Enfield Council is doing to reduce flood risk

Enfield Council is delivering an ambitious programme of natural flood management (link opens a new window) and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) (link opens a new window) to help reduce flood risk. These nature-based solutions go beyond traditional hard engineering and deliver wider environmental benefits.

Natural flood management includes woodland planting, river restoration, attenuation ponds and reintroducing beavers, all methods that slow and store water during heavy rainfall. SuDS features, such as wetlands, rain gardens and tree pits, also help manage water, improve water quality and boost local biodiversity. You can find more information on past and future projects on our timeline (link opens a new window).

More information about the Council’s objectives and commitments can be found in Enfield Council’s Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (link opens a new window).

Roles and Responsibilities

Enfield's flood risk is complex, and who is responsible for managing the different causes of flooding is also complicated. To help, we have teamed up with Enfield Council to create this breakdown of responsibilities. Please note, by responsible we refer to managing the flood risk and not responding to incidents, this falls to the emergency services.

How flood risk is changing

Climate change is causing weather patterns more extreme and unpredictable, increasing the risk of flooding.

Local responses are, therefore, increasingly more important.

We are here to help local residents and businesses take more control of flood risk, reducing flood impact, meaning you get back to normal as quickly as possible.

Prepare: take control and be ready

Planning for flooding is straightforward, quick and free. Preparation saves you money and time, meaning getting back to normal quicker.

Local Resilience Forums help to coordinate responses to emergencies such as flooding. You can find more local information for London(link opens a new window) as well as contact information.