Please provide the number of significant flooding events your authority has recorded annually from 2013 to 2023. Please provide a year-by-year breakdown.
“Significant flooding events” has been assumed to mean flooding events for which Devon County Council, in its role as Lead Local Flood Authority, has produced a formal flood investigation report in accordance with the requirements of Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. The production of such reports is considered where the following ‘flooding significance thresholds’ are met, as defined by the Devon Local Flood Risk Management Strategy:
- 5 or more residential properties internally flooded (in one area, e.g. one street)
- 2 or more commercial properties internally flooded.
- Critical infrastructure affected (e.g. roads or rail links closed).
- Critical services affected.
OR if the above criteria are not met:
- History of repeated flooding. The frequency of flooding greater than 3 occurrences of internal property flooding within 5 years or similar frequency felt to be significant.
- The incident is part of a widespread flood event.
- The vulnerable are particularly at risk, such as the elderly, young children, those living with a disability or living in areas of deprivation.
- Significant negative impact on the natural environment.
All such flood investigation reports are published on the Devon County Council web pages at: Flood investigations, reports and studies – Flood Risk Management (devon.gov.uk).
Additionally, could you please provide documentation or summaries of the strategies and measures you currently have in place related to flood prevention and mitigation?
The approach to the management of flood risk in Devon is documented by Devon Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, which is available on the Devon County Council web site at: Local Flood Risk Management Strategy – Flood Risk Management (devon.gov.uk).
In addition to the high level Devon overview of the overall approaches to flood risk management undertaken by all ‘risk management authorities’, the document sets out more detail relating to specific responsibilities of Devon County Council in its role as Lead Local Flood Authority as they relate to the management of flood risk derived from surface water, ground water and ordinary watercourses. The document includes an Action Plan (see: Action Plan – Flood Risk Management (devon.gov.uk)) for the current financial year, which lists the specific initiatives and projects which this Authority is planning to invest in during 2023/24.
Significantly more detail on the activities of Devon County Council in its role as Lead Local Flood Authority is available via its flood risk management web pages at: Home – Flood Risk Management (devon.gov.uk)