Flood protection measures

It is neither possible, nor practical, to prevent flooding in all circumstances. However, in designing schemes, the Agency seeks to incorporate standards of flood protection appropriate to the property/facilities being protected. New capital schemes in urban areas are designed to provide protection against a flood return period of at least 100 years for works undertaken on major watercourses, and 50 years for works undertaken on minor watercourses, where these are economically viable.

The Agency aims to reduce the risk to life and damage to property from flooding through the construction and maintenance of flood defences such as walls and banks, and the repair or refurbishment of defective culvert structures.

Improvement works are carried out on watercourses to enable them to cope with the additional storm water run-off resulting from new housing and industrial developments.

The Agency maintains designated sea defences which protect property and land from inundation by the sea.