The UK’s flood research consortium is moving into a second phase, building on earlier work to better understand how floods happen and how to manage them. This matters because flooding is one of the most costly and disruptive natural hazards in the UK, damaging homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The first phase of the consortium brought together engineers, environmental scientists, and social researchers to tackle the problem from multiple angles. The second phase will deepen that understanding, generating new fundamental science on flood processes—how water moves across landscapes, how defences fail, and how communities respond. If successful, this research could improve the way flood risks are predicted and managed across the UK. That might mean more accurate flood warnings, better-designed defences, and smarter land-use planning. It could also help water companies, local authorities, and insurers make more informed decisions. The consortium works directly with government agencies and industry, so findings are likely to feed quickly into real-world practice. While much of the work is fundamental science—exploring the physics and dynamics of flooding—it has clear practical routes to protecting people and property.
View original technical description
This proposal has been drafted in response to an invitation from EPSRC, who in collaboration with the EA/Defra Joint R&D programme on Flood and Coastal Defence, UKWIR, the Scottish Office, the NI Rivers Agency and NERC, agreed in February 2003 to fund an interdisciplinary research consortium investigating the prediction, prevention and mitigation of flooding (FRMRC1). The concept behind this innovative joint funding arrangement was that it allowed a national consortium to combine the strengths of basic and near-market researchers and research philosophies in a truly multi-disciplinary programme. The research portfolio for FRMRC1 was formulated to address key issues in flood risk management by generating new and original under-pinning science, while being consistent within the agreed objectives of the funding agencies. This philosophy is to be carried over into the second phase of funding (FRMRC2).FRMRC2 will build on the results of FRMRC1 to increase understanding of flooding processes, generate new and original science and support improved flood risk management. The consortium consists of eligible academic institutions working alongside appropriate stakeholders and users in both the public and private sectors. The breadth of interests and skills of the consortium, coupled with the originality and utility of the research outcomes, will ensure that the consortium approach significantly adds value to the sum of its various components.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know