protecting Hull for the future

The origins and fortunes of the city of Hull have always been tied to the water – the River Hull, the Humber estuary and the North Sea.
While the water most often provides a picturesque backdrop to city life, there are times when it can leave lives in danger and thousands of homes and businesses at risk of flooding.
Climate change means that river flooding, tides and rising sea levels look set to become increasingly important.
Plans for managing these problems into the future are now being prepared by the Environment Agency for public consultation.
Our focus is on the river with the development of a River Hull Flood Risk Management Strategy (Hull FRMS).
It sets out options for how we and our partners, including Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Yorkshire Water and landowners, can together deal with the increasing flood risk.
Most of Kingston upon Hull is low lying and at risk of flooding from the river.
Whilst there are defences through the city, some of these are in poor condition.
Some riverside structures – wharves, walls and buildings themselves – also provide flood protection and many need improvement.
Possible solutions will have to involve many landowners and businesses where their properties border the river.
Other structures, owned and maintained by us, also protect the city – earth embankments upriver of the urban area and the tidal surge barrier where the river joins the Humber estuary.
Ideas on how all these issues might be dealt with and funded over the next 50 years will be set out in the draft Hull FRMS which we plan to consult on in mid April.
There is also a significant flood risk to the city from what is called 'surface water'.
This is overflow from the drainage and sewerage systems which was the major cause of flooding to the 9000 properties affected in July 2007.
A Government investigation into those floods required us to have an overview of all flooding problems.
This means that we will work with local authorities and water companies to ensure that the risks from all sources of flooding are managed.

If you are interested to know more about the draft plans and contribute to the consultation then please check our website www.environment-agency.gov.uk/riverhullstrategy
or email riverhull@environment-agency.gov.uk or telephone 08708 506 506