CIC Start Online Conference 2011 – Heriot Watt University

More information at our Website: www.cicstart.org Flooding resilience: avoidance, resistance and recovery Prof Sue Roaf Prof Sue Roaf of Heriot Watt University takes a visit to Elgin, a former cathedral city in the North of Scotland, to examine the different approaches to flood management. Elgin has suffered a great deal in recent years with repeated flooding, forcing residents out of their homes and damaging local businesses. Other general aspects of flood resilience are also discussed, including the different approaches to planning, the use of SUDS, and the importance of building recovery after a flooding event. In this webcast we interview David Gowans and Peter Haslam of the Moray council’s flood alleviation project who explain the engineering approaches of diversion and attenuation. They introduce the concept of flood risk, defining it as a function of probability and impact, and describe the specific measures being taken in Elgin to try and mitigate against future flooding episodes. Mike Donaghy is an environmental consultant who explains how councils such as Aberdeenshire, and also Moray, are now moving towards Natural Flood Management. Natural Flood Management involves working with the natural landscape to turn moorlands and farmlands into more efficient water stores, to reduce local flooding. Gavin George from Floodguards describes products that offer building level flood protection, including a “floodguard” seal systems to stop the flow of waters in through …