GWRC provides advice on flood hazards and development in flood-prone areas. We also provide advice to people seeking to carry out protection works or river works of their own. This advice is usually provided free of charge.

The best approach to flood hazards is to avoid the hazard in the first place instead of creating a new problem. This means that we support appropriate development in floodplains.

In situations where there is an existing flood problem, or new development is being contemplated in flood-prone areas, we will provide advice about the hazard so that people can make informed decisions based on a good understanding of the risk. It is important that people have the information themselves to manage their own flood risk.

We provide advice on proposed river works and plans for bank protection so that they have the best chance of being successful without causing problems, eg. additional erosion/flooding for neighbouring landowners or difficulties in managing the river in the future.

We provide information to anyone who asks for it. This includes:

•People looking at buying a house who want to understand the hazard

•Existing homeowners who want to make alterations or additions

•Landowners or developers seeking to build new structures

•Insurance companies

•District and City Councils

•Researchers

•Emergency Managers (WREMO)

•Landowners who want to construct their own protection works

•Asset/infrastructure companies (often in relation to bridges)

Flood hazard mapping is available for catchments where we have carried out a Flood Hazard Assessment. This is the information we most commonly provide (usually mapping for a 100-year flood).

We may also be able to provide information/advice about:

•Flood levels and mapping for smaller or larger events

•Information about historical flood spreads

•Photographs

•Survey information about river bed levels over time

•Site-specific advice about a particular proposal