Managing surface water - demonstrating an integrated solution
Birmingham, UK, July 16, 2009
Global consultancy group Atkins is currently helping the Birmingham Water Group (a consortium of Birmingham City Council, the Environment Agency and Severn Trent Water) to investigate the flooding mechanism at a historical trouble spot.
The Wood Brook flooding study has made best use of Wallingford Software’s InfoWorks CS 2D solution to represent the hydraulic interactions between drainage infrastructure, surface overland flows (including the effect of roads and buildings) and open watercourses.
The modelling solution provides a greater understanding of the performance of the underground assets than was previously possible by allowing them to interact with surface water flows and open watercourses. This enables stakeholder’s resolution of flooding issues holistically, and realises the integrated approach that is increasingly being demanded in recent reports, reviews and legislation.
Importantly, the approach adopted for the Wood Brook has provided a showcase study that not only demonstrates successful application of many of the recommendations of the Pitt Review, but has also enabled an enhanced understanding of the hydrological processes that allows the respective stakeholders to target effective flood mitigation solutions.
In particular, the solution has exposed interactions between the combined drainage network and open watercourse that had not been identified using traditional approaches.
Atkins found that the “.avi” output from the IWCS and IW2D model provided an excellent focus for discussion with the various bodies responsible for surface water. It essentially allows them to visualise the interactions and make informed decisions about the management of surface water.
Atkins is continuing to work with the Birmingham Water Group in resolving the complex and integrated urban flooding mechanisms with the aim of responding to the government’s encouragement to implement Surface Water Management Plans (SWMPs) early.
This case study demonstrates that IWCS and IW2D provide the technical tools required to deliver integrated solutions to challenging flooding problems, as well as the SWMPs that DEFRA is now piloting.