Situated along the broad coastal reaches of the River Clyde in West Scotland, Inverclyde has always enjoyed a strong industrial connection with water. Born out of ship building, manufacturing and trade in the 19th and 20th centuries, Inverclyde has made the best of its close proximity to the coast whilst also harnessing the power of the plentiful supplies of water provided by natural flows from the surrounding hill sides. The main towns of Greenock and Port Glasgow lie close by on the coastal plain, which is home to the Gryfe Water reservoirs, as well as a main body of water, Loch Thom.

The challenge

In the light of new legislation expected to be passed in Scotland in the coming months that will require local authorities to produce flood plans, Inverclyde Council opted to take a proactive approach and initiate a project with the legislation in mind. Following the Pitt Review earlier this year, all local authorities have been encouraged to take a more hands-on approach to addressing flood risks. Given Inverclyde’s low lying close proximity to large volumes of water and its reliance upon this as a mainstay for economic development, the importance of effective flood preventative measures is well recognised by its Council.

Assessing defence

Inverclyde Council has appointed engineering consultancy Grontmij to assess and prioritise the area’s flooding risks, and to investigate the more significant ones in more detail.

The water expertise area at Grontmij has begun work on the project, identifying potential flood risks in the area and carrying out analysis of these risks, including the threat from rivers, coastal flooding, breach of dams and sewer and surface water drainage issues.

The team will spend the coming months gathering data on the individual risks and assessing them, which will enable the consultancy to rank the most pressing issues and provide recommendations by March 2009.

Taking the lead

Chris Wotherspoon, technical director at Grontmij, said: “Following the Pitt Review, local authorities are becoming more and more aware of their flood defences and planning and Inverclyde Council is really taking the lead in preparing for the future.”

With the main framework based around highway work and maintenance, Grontmij was appointed as the subcontractor specifically for flood planning and defence as a result of its unique and varied approach and its well-established Scottish team, which already has a strong ongoing relationship with the council.

Championing flood prevention through best practice

David Greenslade at Inverclyde Council, said: “With the extensive flood damage that has occurred across the UK over the last few years, we feel it is important that we are prepared for potential areas of risk in the region, and with Grontmij’s help we hope to identify these areas and implement measures to reduce the flood risk in our region.”

By identifying flood hazards in advance and taking measures to avoid flooding, the council is paving the way for other councils to follow its lead in the formulation of Local Flood Plans. This joined up approach, which is in line with proposed changes to the legislation, will see Grontmij working with Inverclyde Council, adjoining councils, SEPA, Scottish Water and private landowners to identify and, where possible, mitigate the flood risks to communities.

Preventative rather than reactive measures

Mr Wotherspoon said: “By identifying and detecting the risks of flooding early, the council will be able to take preventative rather than reactive measures. The area’s background means there may be potential risks of flooding from aqueducts and reservoirs, as well as minor chances of landslips and structural collapses, so the work we carry out will take all this into account.

Councillor McCabe at Inverclyde Council added: “I am very pleased that Inverclyde Council is ahead of the game when it comes to flood planning and I am fully behind this project, which will help reduce the risk to the people of Inverclyde from flooding.”