Fingal East Meath Flood Risk Assessment & Management Study, Dublin & Meath

Fingal County Council, Meath County Council and the Office of Public Works have recognised the existing flood risk in the Fingal and East Meath area and the potential for significant increases in this risk due to climate change, ongoing development and other pressures that may arise in the future. FCC, MCC and the OPW commissioned us to undertake a catchment-based flood risk assessment and management study as a means of addressing this problem. This was a pilot scheme for the roll out of FRAMS projects nationally. These studies are designed to ensure compliance with the EU Floods Directive which requires flood maps by the end of 2013 and Flood Risk Management Plans by the end of 2015.

The FEM FRAMS project required extensive hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling (23 watercourses, three estuaries and the coast/tides) in order to assess the flood risk in the study area. The principal output from this study, a Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP), identified a programme of prioritised studies, actions and works (both structural and non-structural) to manage the flood risk in the study area in the long-term, and made recommendations in relation to appropriate development planning.

The overall study involved various tasks including:

• Management of topographic survey of the river channels and structures and geometry survey of flood defence assets on the 23 water courses and their tributaries and the study area coastline
• Flood defence assets condition assessment
• Hydrological analysis of all water courses in the study area including rating review at 10 hydrometric stations in the study area
• Developing hydraulic modelling for the 23 watercourses including the three estuaries and also developing coastal / pluvial analysis models and to produce fluvial and tidal flood risk maps for the current and future scenarios
• Flood risk assessment
• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the study area for a sustainable flood risk management strategy; and development of an economically, socially and environmentally appropriate long-term strategy (a Flood Risk Management Plan) complying with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive and EU Flood Directive
• Flood Risk Management Plan