Managing flood risk

Flooding can happen in many different ways. Flood water can come from rivers or the sea, surface water or groundwater, or a combination of these sources.

Different bodies are each accountable for different aspects of flood risk management, and with different roles and responsibilities. It can be difficult to know who to speak to and who can help.

With climate change leading to warmer and wetter winters in the UK as well as flash flooding in the summer months, the understanding of flood risk and what support is available is increasingly important.

Community toolkit

The Community Toolkit has been produced to help you understand:

  • the different sources of flooding
  • who is best placed to provide advice
  • the roles and responsibilities of each Risk Management Authority, such as the Environment Agency, County Council and Water companies
  • the actions that residents and communities can take to reduce their risk of flooding and to become as resistant and resilient as possible

The Community Toolkit is a live document:

Download the Community Toolkit

Quick reference guide

A series of supporting quick reference guides have been developed to support residents and communities in understanding roles and responsibilities, provide advice and templates that can be used to help prepare for flooding.

Where to report a flood

Storm guidance

Ordinary watercourse responsibilities

Ordinary watercourse consenting

Flood advice for individuals

Flood advice for communities

Are you emergency ready?

Templates