44 Environment Agency
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
A record £ 5.2 billion will be invested between 2021 and 2027 , creating around 2,000 new flood and coastal risk management schemes to better protect 336,000 properties across England .
These schemes will help to avoid £ 32 billion in wider economic damages , reduce the national flood risk by up to 11 per cent , and reduce the risk of considerable disruption caused by potential future flooding to the daily lives of over 4 million people .
A fine example of this can be seen following the floods of December 2020 in the River Great Ouse catchment which were caused by continued heavy rainfall on already saturated ground . Flooding affected many homes and communities across the region .
Over the last year , the Environment Agency has worked with local communities to better understand the effects of the flooding , and to help improve resilience to such flood events .
It has invested around £ 30 million in flood defence schemes , repairs and improvements to the thousands of flood risk assets in the River Great Ouse catchment . The Environment Agency owns or operates 1,141 of these assets . A further 5,000 assets are owned or operated by other agencies such as internal drainage boards and local authorities .
An improved flood warning service has been activated and is ready for winter . The 25 highest risk areas in the River Great Ouse catchment can now receive earlier flood warnings than ever before . This free service gives those affected more time to prepare for flooding , and to protect their families and homes .
For properties in areas not protected by flood defences , the Environment Agency is looking at the potential for new schemes and also other measures such as Property Flood Resilience ( PFR ).
The Environment Agency has also supported a number of local flood action groups to help them better prepare their communities for future flood events .
Simon Hawkins , Environment Agency Area Director , said : “ The Environment Agency has worked constantly over the years to better protect thousands of properties from flooding in the River Great Ouse catchment .
“ Since December 2020 we have taken a range of measures to improve flood resilience across the region . We have engaged with communities affected by flooding and inspected and repaired thousands of flood defence assets . Our flood defence capital programme has continued to progress , with more flood defence schemes under construction .
“ Flooding will continue to be a threat to our region . The effects are devastating to those affected and disruptive to many people , with recovery costs that can be huge .
“ We can never eliminate flooding and we urge people to be prepared for flooding by following the ‘ Prepare , Act , Survive ’ guidance .”
Between 2011 and 2021 the Environment Agency has invested over £ 77 million in building and funding flood defence schemes that now better protect more than 15,500 properties in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire from flooding and erosion .
The schemes have been completed by the Environment Agency working on its own , or in partnership , and by
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