ResilienTogether

Managing flood risk using information technology in the Pix Brook catchment

Our vision is that organisations and the communities work cooperatively, share real-time environmental and infrastructure data to improve flood risk measures, and to guide investment to achieve flood risk, water resource and quality improvements over time.


The Pix Brook catchment is complex but compact meaning the impact of interventions will be measurable. Our project will integrate a network of smart controls to monitor, control and report on catchment responses to rainfall, in real time, to manage flood frequency and impact, water and environmental quality, community resilience and wider engagement.


Video introduction


To date we have installed 8 flow sensors across the catchment. The flow sensors monitor river flow in real-time and have already helped improve our understanding of where water comes from and how the catchment responds to specific rainfall events. Over the lifetime of the project the real-time data and continual monitoring will allow us to:

  • target interventions that will help reduce flood risk to people and property
  • explore opportunities to manage land use practices
  • retrofit sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDs) to address water quality issues and support habitats while mitigating the flood risk and;
  • improve understanding and messaging to communities about how and when flooding is likely to occur.

We are in currently exploring the options for the second phase of the flow sensors, which are due to be installed early next year (2023). We have also undertaken an examination of potential SuDs site across the catchment, and we are exploring location that will deliver the most positive dual impacts both in terms of reducing flood risk and improving water quality.

If you would like to learn more about the ResilienTogether project you can email us at: resilientogether.project@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk


By the end of our project, we will have:

  1. Integrated a network of smart controls for the purposes of monitoring, controlling and reporting on catchment conditions that influence flood risk.
  2. Reduced the frequency and severity of flooding across the catchment and improved the water quality and environmental capital of the catchment.
  3. Enabled community resilience through improved engagement between those who can provide flood risk reduction measures and those who can benefit, and access to data and information.

How we are testing innovation


As part of the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme, we are testing 5 resilience actions:

  • Integrated water management solutions
  • Nature based solutions
  • Community infrastructure resilience
  • Monitoring and management of local assets
  • Enhanced flood warning systems

Visit the programme evaluation page to find out more.


Who we are working with

Bedfordshire and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board (IDB), Anglian Water (AW), Environment Agency (EA), Hertfordshire County Council (HCC), Letchworth Heritage Foundation (LHF), Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC), Friends of Norton Common (FoNC), North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC), Radio Data Networks Ltd (RDN), University of Exeter Centre for Water Systems (UoECfWS), Affinity Water

Managing flood risk using information technology in the Pix Brook catchment

Our vision is that organisations and the communities work cooperatively, share real-time environmental and infrastructure data to improve flood risk measures, and to guide investment to achieve flood risk, water resource and quality improvements over time.


The Pix Brook catchment is complex but compact meaning the impact of interventions will be measurable. Our project will integrate a network of smart controls to monitor, control and report on catchment responses to rainfall, in real time, to manage flood frequency and impact, water and environmental quality, community resilience and wider engagement.


Video introduction


To date we have installed 8 flow sensors across the catchment. The flow sensors monitor river flow in real-time and have already helped improve our understanding of where water comes from and how the catchment responds to specific rainfall events. Over the lifetime of the project the real-time data and continual monitoring will allow us to:

  • target interventions that will help reduce flood risk to people and property
  • explore opportunities to manage land use practices
  • retrofit sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDs) to address water quality issues and support habitats while mitigating the flood risk and;
  • improve understanding and messaging to communities about how and when flooding is likely to occur.

We are in currently exploring the options for the second phase of the flow sensors, which are due to be installed early next year (2023). We have also undertaken an examination of potential SuDs site across the catchment, and we are exploring location that will deliver the most positive dual impacts both in terms of reducing flood risk and improving water quality.

If you would like to learn more about the ResilienTogether project you can email us at: resilientogether.project@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk


By the end of our project, we will have:

  1. Integrated a network of smart controls for the purposes of monitoring, controlling and reporting on catchment conditions that influence flood risk.
  2. Reduced the frequency and severity of flooding across the catchment and improved the water quality and environmental capital of the catchment.
  3. Enabled community resilience through improved engagement between those who can provide flood risk reduction measures and those who can benefit, and access to data and information.

How we are testing innovation


As part of the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme, we are testing 5 resilience actions:

  • Integrated water management solutions
  • Nature based solutions
  • Community infrastructure resilience
  • Monitoring and management of local assets
  • Enhanced flood warning systems

Visit the programme evaluation page to find out more.


Who we are working with

Bedfordshire and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board (IDB), Anglian Water (AW), Environment Agency (EA), Hertfordshire County Council (HCC), Letchworth Heritage Foundation (LHF), Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC), Friends of Norton Common (FoNC), North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC), Radio Data Networks Ltd (RDN), University of Exeter Centre for Water Systems (UoECfWS), Affinity Water
Page last updated: 27 Apr 2023, 03:04 PM