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Published on: 06 Sep 2024
Read moreWhat is flood risk?
Flood risk refers to the likelihood and potential impact of flooding in a particular area. For a wind farm development, assessing flood risk involves evaluating the potential impacts of flooding on the site and changes to flood risk downstream that might arise due to the proposed development. Assessing and mitigating flood risk involves consideration of several factors including site selection, infrastructure design, and environmental impacts.
Why is flood risk assessment needed for wind farm development?
Wind farm development can increase flood risk in an area due to the increase in impermeable surfaces which causes an increase in overland flow. Flooding can negatively impact sensitive receptors such as site staff and local residents, the development itself and other buildings or infrastructure downstream of the wind farm site. Properly assessing the impact that a wind farm would have on flood risk is important in order to outline a site-specific strategy for water and drainage management throughout all stages of the development process. This tailored approach helps to mitigate the potential increase in flood risk which may occur due to the proposed development.
How can developments mitigate extreme weather events with a flood risk assessment?
Our flood risk assessments aim to reduce the risk of flooding from surface water, small watercourses and rivers, providing protection against extreme weather events, including storms with a 1 in 200-year strength. This helps to ensure that our sites can withstand more frequent and severe weather events predicted to occur as climate change progresses.
What can WRc do?
By assessing a site’s natural drainage characteristics determined by factors such as topography, catchment areas, rainfall characteristics and land use, WRc advises clients on regulatory requirements, best practice construction methods, infrastructure placement and drainage infrastructure requirements, to strategically reduce flood risk.
Written by Megan Smith
