UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap

What is the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap?

The flood hydrology roadmap sets out a vision for flood hydrology in the UK for the next 25 years.

The roadmap has been developed through multiple phases of consultation with the flood hydrology community in the UK and will cover England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from 2021 to 2046.

It considers all sources of inland flooding, including fluvial, pluvial and sewers, groundwater and reservoirs. It also considers all inland flood hydrology activities in the UK, from operational practice to scientific research.


It is built around a vision for the next 25 years which states that:

  • during the next 25 years society will have improved hydrological information and understanding to manage flood hazard in a changing world
  • flood hydrology and whole-system process understanding will be underpinned by excellent evidence with quantified uncertainty
  • leadership and collaboration are crucial to achieving this vision


The Roadmap will be delivered under four thematic themes: ways of working, data, methods and scientific understanding.

The vision for Ways of Working is to ensure:

  • there is a representative UK group with a unifying overview as a lead voice for flood hydrology, to create more effective and efficient ways of working;
  • the flood hydrology community works together with skilled teams and stakeholders, communicates clearly and uses excellent, consistent technical guidance;
  • the flood hydrology community engages across the UK and internationally, embracing and encouraging scientific and technological developments to continually improve efficiency and innovation in our field

The vision for Data is to ensure:

  • funding, knowledge, capability and resources exist to monitor the UK hydrological environment, particularly extremes
  • new and historical data are communicated and shared openly, properly archived and centrally located to support all flood hydrology studies
  • data are freely available for all carrying out flood hydrology studies
  • data are of sufficient quantity and quality for each application; uncertainties are understood and communicated effectively

The vision for Methods is to ensure:

  • flood hydrology methods for real-time, design and planning deal with all sources of flood risk
  • methods are open-source, effective and regularly updated
  • methods allow use of all information available and employ appropriate, best available tools that are consistent, accessible and peer reviewed
  • impacts of future change and the calculation of uncertainty are included in decision making as standard

The vision for Scientific Understanding is to ensure:

  • we continually improve our understanding of the processes governing all areas of flood risk (fluvial, fluvio-tidal, pluvial, reservoir and groundwater) with state-of-the-art science
  • this science and knowledge is transferred into practical improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of methods, ways of working and data


Next steps in delivering the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap

The successful long-term delivery of the UK flood hydrology roadmap vision will require strong leadership and improved partnership working and collaboration across the flood hydrology community. The estimated funding required to implement the roadmap is between £110 million and £165 million over the next 25 years.


UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap Governance and Steering

The Roadmap is overseen by two groups:

The UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap Governance Board are responsible for the delivery of the Roadmap and will remain in place for the lifetime programme. The Board is made up with representatives from British Hydrological Society, Department for Infrastructure, Northern Ireland, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and UK Research and Innovation. The roles and responsibilities of the Board are to:

  • Approve the Roadmap programme and ensure alignment with the partners and stakeholders involved in it
  • Seek and agree funding and resource contributions through a costed business plan for the ongoing operation of the Board
  • Maintain an overview of programme activities, expenditure, outputs, outcomes and benefits
  • Prepare annual progress reviews of the Roadmap delivery plan
  • Approve Project governance for Projects identified within the Roadmap Programme
  • Monitor and manage any risks and issues arising from implementation of the Roadmap Programme
  • Resolve any strategic and directional issues between Projects (where the input and agreement of senior stakeholders is needed)
  • Develop and maintain a Communications and Engagement Plan to encourage participation and investment in the Roadmap Programme, and to report on progress on delivery of the Roadmap to the wider community
  • Support the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group to facilitate dissemination of knowledge exchange activities for the Roadmap Programme

Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) provide specialist support to the implementation of the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap and Action Plan ensuring a diversity of thought and background so that discussions and decisions are informed by a diverse range of perspectives. The STAG is made up with representatives from, UK environmental regulators, the Met Office, the water industry, consultancy / practitioners, academia, and the early career hydrologist community. The roles and responsibilities of the STAG are to:

  • Provide strategic direction and oversight to ensure that the Roadmap Programme remains fit for purpose, agreeing priority work areas and items for the forthcoming years
  • Horizon scan for technological opportunities and monitor changes in flood hydrology. Identify opportunities, emerging risk and uncertainty and recommend changes to the Roadmap Programme and its priority projects or activities to address these
  • Consider and approve correspondence and publications in respect of the Roadmap Programme
  • Identify opportunities for the sharing of knowledge, skills, and expertise within the wider hydrology community, and facilitate such exchanges
  • Facilitate broader consultation and engagement with hydrology end users and stakeholders within the flood risk industry
  • Identify opportunities for the STAG to influence collectively and access research funding, and undertake such influencing
  • Assist in promoting new hydrology tools and methods and development of guidance as part of the implementation of the Roadmap Programme

What is the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap?

The flood hydrology roadmap sets out a vision for flood hydrology in the UK for the next 25 years.

The roadmap has been developed through multiple phases of consultation with the flood hydrology community in the UK and will cover England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from 2021 to 2046.

It considers all sources of inland flooding, including fluvial, pluvial and sewers, groundwater and reservoirs. It also considers all inland flood hydrology activities in the UK, from operational practice to scientific research.


It is built around a vision for the next 25 years which states that:

  • during the next 25 years society will have improved hydrological information and understanding to manage flood hazard in a changing world
  • flood hydrology and whole-system process understanding will be underpinned by excellent evidence with quantified uncertainty
  • leadership and collaboration are crucial to achieving this vision


The Roadmap will be delivered under four thematic themes: ways of working, data, methods and scientific understanding.

The vision for Ways of Working is to ensure:

  • there is a representative UK group with a unifying overview as a lead voice for flood hydrology, to create more effective and efficient ways of working;
  • the flood hydrology community works together with skilled teams and stakeholders, communicates clearly and uses excellent, consistent technical guidance;
  • the flood hydrology community engages across the UK and internationally, embracing and encouraging scientific and technological developments to continually improve efficiency and innovation in our field

The vision for Data is to ensure:

  • funding, knowledge, capability and resources exist to monitor the UK hydrological environment, particularly extremes
  • new and historical data are communicated and shared openly, properly archived and centrally located to support all flood hydrology studies
  • data are freely available for all carrying out flood hydrology studies
  • data are of sufficient quantity and quality for each application; uncertainties are understood and communicated effectively

The vision for Methods is to ensure:

  • flood hydrology methods for real-time, design and planning deal with all sources of flood risk
  • methods are open-source, effective and regularly updated
  • methods allow use of all information available and employ appropriate, best available tools that are consistent, accessible and peer reviewed
  • impacts of future change and the calculation of uncertainty are included in decision making as standard

The vision for Scientific Understanding is to ensure:

  • we continually improve our understanding of the processes governing all areas of flood risk (fluvial, fluvio-tidal, pluvial, reservoir and groundwater) with state-of-the-art science
  • this science and knowledge is transferred into practical improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of methods, ways of working and data


Next steps in delivering the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap

The successful long-term delivery of the UK flood hydrology roadmap vision will require strong leadership and improved partnership working and collaboration across the flood hydrology community. The estimated funding required to implement the roadmap is between £110 million and £165 million over the next 25 years.


UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap Governance and Steering

The Roadmap is overseen by two groups:

The UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap Governance Board are responsible for the delivery of the Roadmap and will remain in place for the lifetime programme. The Board is made up with representatives from British Hydrological Society, Department for Infrastructure, Northern Ireland, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and UK Research and Innovation. The roles and responsibilities of the Board are to:

  • Approve the Roadmap programme and ensure alignment with the partners and stakeholders involved in it
  • Seek and agree funding and resource contributions through a costed business plan for the ongoing operation of the Board
  • Maintain an overview of programme activities, expenditure, outputs, outcomes and benefits
  • Prepare annual progress reviews of the Roadmap delivery plan
  • Approve Project governance for Projects identified within the Roadmap Programme
  • Monitor and manage any risks and issues arising from implementation of the Roadmap Programme
  • Resolve any strategic and directional issues between Projects (where the input and agreement of senior stakeholders is needed)
  • Develop and maintain a Communications and Engagement Plan to encourage participation and investment in the Roadmap Programme, and to report on progress on delivery of the Roadmap to the wider community
  • Support the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group to facilitate dissemination of knowledge exchange activities for the Roadmap Programme

Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) provide specialist support to the implementation of the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap and Action Plan ensuring a diversity of thought and background so that discussions and decisions are informed by a diverse range of perspectives. The STAG is made up with representatives from, UK environmental regulators, the Met Office, the water industry, consultancy / practitioners, academia, and the early career hydrologist community. The roles and responsibilities of the STAG are to:

  • Provide strategic direction and oversight to ensure that the Roadmap Programme remains fit for purpose, agreeing priority work areas and items for the forthcoming years
  • Horizon scan for technological opportunities and monitor changes in flood hydrology. Identify opportunities, emerging risk and uncertainty and recommend changes to the Roadmap Programme and its priority projects or activities to address these
  • Consider and approve correspondence and publications in respect of the Roadmap Programme
  • Identify opportunities for the sharing of knowledge, skills, and expertise within the wider hydrology community, and facilitate such exchanges
  • Facilitate broader consultation and engagement with hydrology end users and stakeholders within the flood risk industry
  • Identify opportunities for the STAG to influence collectively and access research funding, and undertake such influencing
  • Assist in promoting new hydrology tools and methods and development of guidance as part of the implementation of the Roadmap Programme

What else would you like to know about the UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap?

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Page last updated: 02 Aug 2023, 01:13 PM