Adapting to climate change
It is generally accepted that global warming will lead to a rise in global sea level, increasing the risk of flooding in low-lying coastal regions. An increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather patterns will further increase this risk, contributing to flooding from rivers and urban drainage systems. These challenges call for adaptive measures in river basin management, water supply, storm and wastewater management and agriculture, to name just a few.
Our experience in modelling and risk assessment of flooding enables our clients to make informed decisions about future investments. Environmentally and financially sustainable solutions rely on an evaluation of flood risk and costs for climate adaptation. Investment in climate-adapted buildings and infrastructure can help to safeguard standards of living and can avoid undesirable human and material costs from extreme weather and flooding.
Flood risk planning and assessment
Clients rely on us to assess flood risk and assist schemes in obtaining planning, gaining sustainability credits or assessing how resilient their assets need to be in the future. Our services include flood risk assessment (FRA), management and planning from catchment to development scale. We provide option appraisals and assessments of flood defence measures, as well as considering residual flood risk, evacuation strategies, flood compensation schemes and flood resilience designs.
An integrated service
Ramboll's flood risk management and climate adaptation teams offer high quality integrated services for all stages of a project — from initial studies and options appraisals to cost-effective design solutions, regulatory approvals and ongoing assessment after completion. We assess flooding potential from all sources.
Our engineers have an in-depth understanding of how flooding can affect a development and we clearly communicate flood risks to clients and project design team members. This ensures that flood risks are fully understood, assessed and appropriately mitigated, and that the full potential of a site is maximised.
Our clients include cities, utility companies, developers, private land owners, property managers, investors and insurers. We provide services to governmental environment agencies and to local authorities and county councils.
Our services include:
Acquisition and feasibility
- Hydrological assessment and surveys
- Due diligence studies, master planning and site proposals
- 1D/2D hydraulic modelling, and floodplain mapping
- Flood estimation, screenings and flood defence appraisal
- Stakeholder engagement
- Cost benefit analyses
Socio-economic calculations
- Breach assessment
- Planning and design
- Planning advice, regulatory approvals, the discharge of planning conditions
- Flood risk assessment
- Sustainable urban districts planning DGNB, LEED etc
- Drainage assessment and sewer modelling
- Sustainable urban drainage system (SuDS) design
- Flood defences design
- Flood alleviation schemes
- Strategic master plans and investment planning
Construction and operation
- Preliminary and detailed design
- Contract documentation, specification and project management
- Environment Agency permits, consents and licenses
- Site supervision and temporary works consents
- Flood warning and evacuation plans
- Preparation of operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals
