EAM3 - Hydrological Priorities

Project overview

The hydrological methods used for flood estimation and forecasting are dependent on a network of hydrometric measurements (such as rainfall, river flow and groundwater level) and the understanding of which physical catchment processes and which flood sources contribute the most to flood risk. These data and methods are essential for providing a flood warning service and for the design of flood risk management projects, particularly in response to climate change.

By analysing the links between catchment types, hydrological processes, and flood risk, together with appraising the associated monitoring networks, this project will identify current and future gaps in process understanding (hydrological priorities) and in the hydrometric networks.

The outputs from the project will be used to make recommendations for prioritising improvements to operational flood hydrology methods and the associated hydrometric networks.


Our project will:

  • Produce a hydrological priorities review that identifies key gaps in flood hydrology process understanding.

  • Produce a hydrometric network appraisal that assesses future coverage needs.
  • Identify 'Catchment Labs' based on areas where a sufficiently dense and long-established hydrometric network exists which have the potential for enhancement to support work to improve understanding of flood generation processes and for benchmarking of new methods.
  • Produce a report and map-based infographics to support engagement with the wider Environment Agency of the hydrological priorities and data gaps requiring attention, including the importance of hydrometry to hydrology.

How our project is improving flood hydrology

  • The project will improve our understanding of flood risk in relation to hydrological priorities and the effectiveness of associated monitoring networks.

  • It will help inform developments needed in flood estimation methods associated with the hydrological priorities, supporting associated Flood Hydrology Improvements Programme projects.

  • We will know why and where we need to improve our hydrometric networks to meet future spatial coverage needs.

How our project is contributing to the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap

The UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap will be realised through 31 actions grouped into 4 thematic work areas of ways of working, data, methods and scientific understanding. Eight actions have been identified to improve methods in UK flood hydrology related to improving flood hydrology methods, models and systems. Six actions have been identified to improve data in U.K. flood hydrology related to improving long term data quality, quantity and accessibility.

This project will contribute to the methods and data strand actions:

  • M1 - Benchmark hydrological models - through the identification of catchment labs required for developing benchmark tests.
  • M3 - Review of strategic and operational flood hydrology models, methods and systems - through the identification of hydrological priorities requiring improved methods.
  • M6 - Develop options to improve flood hydrology knowledge, methods, models and systems - as a consequence of the hydrological priorities requiring improved methods.
  • D2 - Assess gaps in hydrometric data for flood hydrology - arising from the network appraisal.

Project overview

The hydrological methods used for flood estimation and forecasting are dependent on a network of hydrometric measurements (such as rainfall, river flow and groundwater level) and the understanding of which physical catchment processes and which flood sources contribute the most to flood risk. These data and methods are essential for providing a flood warning service and for the design of flood risk management projects, particularly in response to climate change.

By analysing the links between catchment types, hydrological processes, and flood risk, together with appraising the associated monitoring networks, this project will identify current and future gaps in process understanding (hydrological priorities) and in the hydrometric networks.

The outputs from the project will be used to make recommendations for prioritising improvements to operational flood hydrology methods and the associated hydrometric networks.


Our project will:

  • Produce a hydrological priorities review that identifies key gaps in flood hydrology process understanding.

  • Produce a hydrometric network appraisal that assesses future coverage needs.
  • Identify 'Catchment Labs' based on areas where a sufficiently dense and long-established hydrometric network exists which have the potential for enhancement to support work to improve understanding of flood generation processes and for benchmarking of new methods.
  • Produce a report and map-based infographics to support engagement with the wider Environment Agency of the hydrological priorities and data gaps requiring attention, including the importance of hydrometry to hydrology.

How our project is improving flood hydrology

  • The project will improve our understanding of flood risk in relation to hydrological priorities and the effectiveness of associated monitoring networks.

  • It will help inform developments needed in flood estimation methods associated with the hydrological priorities, supporting associated Flood Hydrology Improvements Programme projects.

  • We will know why and where we need to improve our hydrometric networks to meet future spatial coverage needs.

How our project is contributing to the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap

The UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap will be realised through 31 actions grouped into 4 thematic work areas of ways of working, data, methods and scientific understanding. Eight actions have been identified to improve methods in UK flood hydrology related to improving flood hydrology methods, models and systems. Six actions have been identified to improve data in U.K. flood hydrology related to improving long term data quality, quantity and accessibility.

This project will contribute to the methods and data strand actions:

  • M1 - Benchmark hydrological models - through the identification of catchment labs required for developing benchmark tests.
  • M3 - Review of strategic and operational flood hydrology models, methods and systems - through the identification of hydrological priorities requiring improved methods.
  • M6 - Develop options to improve flood hydrology knowledge, methods, models and systems - as a consequence of the hydrological priorities requiring improved methods.
  • D2 - Assess gaps in hydrometric data for flood hydrology - arising from the network appraisal.

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Page last updated: 25 Mar 2024, 03:21 PM