The Government’s new FloodWatch website - a key part in the Department’s strategic approach to managing flood risk around the Island -has now gone live.
As part of the flood risk strategy, the Department intends to bring forward new primary legislation in the form of a Flood Risk Management Bill, consultation on which is now closed.
The Bill is expected to be enacted late in 2010 and the Flood Risk Management strategy, scheduled for full implementation in the following year.
The website and the proposed strategy were outlined to Members of Tynwald at a recent presentation.
Minister for Transport David Anderson MHK explained, "The need for a Flood Risk Management Strategy goes back to the severe river flooding events at Sulby in 1998 and 2000, followed by widespread coastal flooding around the Island in February 2002, when a storm surge in the Irish Sea raised tide levels by about a metre.
"A working party from within the Department of Transport was established with the aim of investigating all aspects of flood risk on the Island, both from the rivers and from the sea.
"The first stage involved an information gathering exercise. Additional weather stations were installed in the upland river catchments and gauging stations were put in the main rivers to log river levels during rainfall events.
"In addition, tide gauges were installed at each of the ports around the Island to accurately monitor tide levels throughout the year. Information on tidal surges in the Irish Sea has been obtained by securing access to a sophisticated a new UK tidal surge computer model.
"As a result, the Department has better information to predict tide levels, particularly if there is a surge element involved."
The Department is also producing flood maps, which show the areas at risk of flooding from main rivers and the sea and will be used by the Planning and Building Control Directorate at DLGE to prevent ‘vulnerable development’ in areas where there is a high risk of flooding.
In addition, the Department has been working jointly with the Department of Local Government and the Environment to produce a draft Development and Flood Risk Planning Policy Statement, which is currently out to consultation.
The Department is in continuing dialogue with other Government Departments and Agencies to consider how best to respond in a severe flood situation and manage the recovery phase.
"One of the major steps we have taken to raise awareness of flood risk is the creation of the FloodWatch website," explained Director of Drainage Peter Winstanley, a member of the Department’s Flood Working Group.
"The website shows the flood warnings and explains how to protect your property and prepare for a flood, along with further help and advice. It also has maps showing tidal flood warnings and heavy rainfall warnings, with icons depicting the various levels of flood risk together with flood maps.
"In the long-term, the Drainage Division of the Department of Transport will take the lead in coordinating the overall Flood Risk Management Strategy for the Island, with the aim of implementing it by 2011."
