Models, the Establishment, and the Real World: Why Do So Many Flood Problems Remain in the UK?

Abstract

In spite of the proliferation of research and Government Reports on floods in the UK, there are about 5 million properties located in flood prone areas. Many of the houses have been built during the past 50 years with little regard to the existing and future flood risk. Decision makers, who are part of the Establishment, rely on the outputs of models which are produced by so called "experts". But this information has been found to be flawed. However, the Establishment is largely unwilling to allow local knowledge when assessing flood risk, even though prevailing methodology suggests otherwise. This situation has grown worse since the formation of the Environment Agency in 1996. The public engagement with flood risk science and its application needs to proceed along a co-production of knowledge model. Three examples of the difficulties of making realistic assessments of fluvial flood risk are described. The problem of surface water flooding is also considered since it too has local causes which may not be accounted for in standard methodology. Finally, more open discussion and co-operation in identifying flood problems in the UK is called for.