Waterco Consultants

Engineering and environmental consultancy, with expertise in a wide range of specialist areas relating to water, drainage and flood.

One of our passions is Natural flood management (NFM). Dealing with the cause, rather than the effect of flooding.

In the catchment ‘soft engineering’ interventions (e. g. flood meadows, wetlands and tree planting) can be introduced such that rain water is attenuated, or the infiltration rate increased, in order to reduce the peak run off rate.

The idea is certainly not new, as many years of research and a multitude of pilot projects and case studies testify. But there is currently no ‘methodology’ or ‘systemised approach’ available, whereby NFM schemes can be developed in a rational manner; so that both the benefit (flood reduction) and cost (implementation and ongoing maintenance) can be quantified; for direct comparison with the traditional ‘hard engineering’ approaches (e. g. raising walls and enlarging culverts).

NFM is promoted on the basis that it is both a lower cost solution and has wider environmental benefits than traditional ‘hard engineering’ approaches There is no problem in convincing people of its merits; but difficulties arise when answering questions such as: “how much will it reduce flow?” and “what will it cost?”

NFM offers the opportunity to work in partnership with others, who would benefit and thus be able to make funds (or a workforce) available (e. g. wildlife, heritage, amenity) to share the cost and thereby increase the viability of flood management schemes.

Waterco are working with the University of Liverpool to develop a ‘systemised approach’ which will: identify appropriate locations for ‘soft engineering’ interventions using both GIS and early engagement with other interested parties; quantify the flood flow reduction by hydraulic modelling; assess the cost based on ‘yardstick prices’ from schemes undertaken in relation to water quality and agricultural enhancement projects; establish viable benefit: cost ratios; and deliver projects, by working in partnership with others.