Title: Environment Agency Southern region : May floods 2000 performance review
Author: Environment Agency Southern Region
Document Type: Monograph
Abstract:
This report looks at the Agency's response to flooding in Southern Region in May 2000. Rainfall on 26 - 28 May combined with high water levels in catchments in Sussex and Kent to cause some flooding. This was not a major flooding incident, nor was it easy to predict: some of the rivers concerned are notoriously "flashy", (ie prone to unpredictable flash flooding). The Agency responded quite well, in terms of numbers of warnings put
out and direct response. However, it dropped several catches: some warnings were missed, delayed, or wrongly issued. Liaison between parts of the Agency was poor. Chains of command are not clear, and there are no official objectives for Flood Response. The Areas were slow to respond, or at least to escalate their response, and much of the load was thrown on the RCC, which was not robust enough to support it entirely. The Agency's internal culture leads it to function as separate groups rather than as an integrated team. This is bad for both efficiency and morale, with groups often having little understanding of the stresses placed on other Agency staff.
Publisher: Environment Agency
Publication Date: 2000
Publication Place: Teddington
Subject Keywords: Rivers; Evaluation; Flood defence structures; Flood control; Disaster preparedness; Flood forecasting; Early warning systems; Public relations; Health and safety regulations; Flood Management Strategy; Environment Agency
Geographic Keywords: Hampshire; West Sussex; Kent (county)
Extent: 61; + graphs
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:1049
Total file downloads: 281
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