Humber 2100+

Take action to be flood ready.

Flooding can affect anyone. Earlier this month, Flood Action Week took place, encouraging people to understand their flood risk and take practical steps to prepare before flooding happens.

It is never too late to take actions and there are three easy ways to get started:

• Get free flood warnings
• Check for flooding
• Make a plan for flooding

The Environment Agency has also launched Flood Action Online, a new one-stop hub bringing together trusted information, advice and services to help people understand their flood risk and know what actions they can take. Please share this with your community to help us raise awareness.

Works to restore the original capacity of the New Cut Drain outfall culvert have started. Specialist contractors are removing silt from a 1km channel across the foreshore to lower water levels and divers are making good progress clearing silt and debris from the culvert. Two new chambers are also being built to aid maintenance and safe access in the future. The installation of the new outfall flap valve will follow in due course before the end of October.

Works to remove the temporary widening of the embankment crest is nearing completion and landscaping at the Pyewipe end is expected to be completed during the Autumn. The coastal footpath should then be able to reopen.

The project team has secured the use of a compound at ABP’s Port of Grimsby to temporarily store spare rock, before the site compound is handed back to the landowners at the end of November. It is anticipated this rock will be reused on other local coastal schemes over the coming years.

The final works to complete Oldfleet Drain outfall and overflow are expected to begin soon, including the installation of water control devices and security fencing. This will provide additional flood resilience over the winter. Installation of the replacement Middle Drain flood gate may be delayed until 2027 due to design and manufacturing delays.

It was recently discovered that around 500m of rock amour toe, towards the northern end of the site, has become partially displaced. Investigations are underway to determine the cause and identify any necessary remedial works. As a result, construction is unlikely to be completed this Autumn and additional funding may be required. The project team is working to minimise impacts and secure the necessary consents, funding and resources .

The planned compensatory fish and eel habitat along the River Freshney to establish an improved habitat along a 500m reach upstream of Cromwell Road bridge in Grimsby has been completed.

New Cut outfall chambers construction Reinstating embankment crestDisplaced rock armour toe at Section 1 - investigation

River Freshney fish and eel compensatory habitat

The detailed design for the three sections along the Humber defences continues to advance at pace by the Arup design team. Throughout the summer, design workshops and site meetings have been held with EA and Contractor’s representative to agree the details.

Detailed discussions with landowners have started where the proposed embankment footprint extends further inland. These have been generally welcomed and have helped enhance the understanding of constraints and opportunities.

Engagement with Natural England and the Marine Management Organisation is ongoing. This provides confidence that impacts on designated habitats are being minimised, reducing the risk of the works requiring a Marine Licence. If successful, this could significantly accelerate construction.

Work with North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) around property flood resilience (PFR) and asset resilience measures has continued. Installation of the recommended measures is expected by Spring 2027, subject to agreement with property owners.

The new Defra funding policy has enabled consideration of additional adaptation measures and improvements to defences along Barrow Haven. Although outline concepts have been explored, the project team will consider more detailed options later in the year, once the Humber defence embankment designs are completed. These may be delivered as a separate phase due to the additional time necessary to obtain the complex consents and approvals required. However, an outline solution is expected to be included in the Full Business Case by summer 2027.

The project team hosted a site visit by the Resilience Advisory Group in July. Community engagement continues through the project website and local news sheet updates, with a second round of community engagement events planned for November, to showcase the current design.

Example of a flood door being considered

The scheme was approved on 1^st July 2025 following a successful review process. The Goole Town Deal Partnership Funding Agreement was signed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) on 30th July. Following this, the Environment Agency signed construction contracts with Arup and BAM.

Condition surveys of residential properties near to the main works and compound area have been completed and Notices of Entry have been issued to all land/landowners where works are planned for the year.

Embankment improvement works are now complete at the downstream end of the Dutch River near Goole. The compound area site offices have been fully installed at Rawcliffe Bridge, with works now underway and progressing well on both the upstream and downstream lengths of embankment.

We are continuing to engage with local residents and businesses, Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs), Canal & River Trust (CRT), Associated British Ports (ABP), and Network Rail as they will be directly affected by the works. Additionally, we are coordinating with events being arranged as a part of Goole’s bicentenary this year.

Work on Package 5 (Saltmarshe to Yokefleet) continues to be prioritised, due to this being the package with the highest strategic priority. This package is currently going through scoping and contractual sign-off with delivery partners (Arup and BAM) for work required to deliver the Outline Business Case (OBC).

Due to the pressing nature of the foreshore condition on sections of the Dutch River (right bank), the ‘Bank slips’ Package 1 has successfully gained additional funding and is also now progressing through scoping and contractual sign-off with delivery partners (Arup and BAM) for work required to deliver the OBC.

The works to The Outstrays are now substantially complete, and the works at the new Skeffling pumping station are complete. The old pumping station has been successfully demolished, and the contractor will be handing over this element of the work this Autumn. The larger Winestead pumping station is due to be completed in Summer 2027, with the demolition of the Outstrays pumping station to follow this.

The partnership working group on governance has carried out an exercise to identify key roles, responsibilities and objectives for an updated partnership. The intention is that this will be used to shape initial outline governance proposals, to be shared with decision makers later in the autumn. Work on the strategic approach to asset management is also continuing to progress and a scope is being developed with consultants to help shape the project.

The Humber Adaptation Pathways project is reaching the final stage, with the method write-up taking place through the early autumn. The work to develop an adaptation pathways method has progressed alongside two partnership workshops, held in July and September. These have supported partner understanding of the implications of the ‘Understanding Risk’ evidence and shaped the foundational elements of the pathway development process, as well as informing the wider method design work.

Our ‘Understanding Risk’ publication can be found on gov.uk. Click the link below or scan the QR code to find out more etc.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/humber-2100-understanding-tidal-risk

A partnership working group on governance took place in April, and a second took place in June, with a focus on defining actions for all partners to take forward and developing a common understanding of potential governance models. Work on the strategic approach to asset management is also continuing to progress. The project team have also published a stakeholder facing publication on gov.uk. This summarises the evidence from the ‘Understand Risk’ phase of work.

The Humber Adaptation Pathways project design phase is continuing with activity for the coming months focused on developing the method for pathway refinement. Two workshops are also being held through the summer/early autumn. The intention is that work will support partner understanding of the implications of the ‘Understanding Risk’ evidence and allow them to participate in pathway development in the future, as well as shaping elements of the pathway design process.

In February, the Humber 2100+ team and partners participated in a visit from the Climate Change Committee. The team were able to share work done so far on the Humber to support adaptation and also set out future challenges and opportunities.

Climate Change Committee visit Stallingborough

Understanding Risk now live on GOV.UK!

Our ‘Understanding Risk’ publication has now been published on Gov.uk. It presents the Humber 2100+ evidence base in an accessible, public-facing format, helping readers understand tidal flood risk around the Humber Estuary. Visit the link below or scan the QR code to find out more!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/humber-2100-understanding-tidal-risk

Work on Package 5 (Saltmarshe to Yokefleet) will be prioritised following changes in funding and because it has the highest strategic importance. It is currently being scoped, with contracts being finalised with delivery partners Arup and BAM to develop the Outline Business Case.

Works have resumed on site following the winter closedown, with embankment improvements progressing well at the downstream end of the Dutch River near Goole. Site offices at the Rawcliffe Bridge compound are now fully in place, and access works (Trackmats) are being installed to support work planned along the upstream embankment this year.

Engagement has continued with those directly affected by the works including local residents and businesses, Internal Drainage Boards (IDB), Canal & River Trust (CRT), Associated British Ports (ABP), and Network Rail. Discussions with East Riding Council on the Greenway improvements have restarted, and we are coordinating with events marking Goole’s bicentenary this year, including EA attendance at a celebratory flotilla planned for July.