A vision to transform our understanding and response to groundwater flooding

Groundwater and mine water exist beneath our feet in the former coalfield areas. This project will provide betterment by mapping, monitoring, forecasting and improving community awareness of groundwater flood risk and providing warnings of possible flood events.

Our short term goals

1. Map groundwater for flood risk.
2. Install monitoring equipment across the study areas to keep track of regional groundwater levels.
3. Identify the groundwater flood risk areas.
4. Use the monitoring information to predict groundwater flood events.

Our long term goals

1. Set up warning systems for residents, businesses and authorities to alert them to prepare for possible flood events within the study area.
2. Work with communities to improve understanding and resilience for groundwater flooding.
3. Raise community awareness of the processes for reporting and recording groundwater flooding.
4. Design and implement innovative solutions to groundwater flooding in the risk areas.

The study area

The pilot sites for the study area are Newcastle, Gateshead and Spittal (Berwick).

How our project is testing innovation

Measured and predicted rising groundwater levels will inform local authority local plans for development land allocation and will include climate change mitigation for development whole life. Long term planning for groundwater infiltration into the public sewerage system will also be possible.

As part of FCRIP we are testing 3 resilience actions:

• Integrated water management solutions
• Community infrastructure resilience
• Community and voluntary sector action to be better prepared and recover more quickly

Visit the programme evaluation page to find out more.

Who we are working with

British Geological Survey

Coal Authority

Environment Agency

Gateshead Council

Geoff Parkin Hydro ltd

Jacobs

JBA Consulting

Newcastle City Council

Newcastle University

Northumberland County Council

Northumbrian Water Group

Get involved!

If you would like to know more about our project, visit our primary website www.pgn.org.uk

If you'd like to get involved, please email us at info@pgn.org.uk