Hydraulic Modelling Helps Developer Define Potential Canal Breach

Inland flooding events are typically associated with streams and rivers breaching their banks. However, other water courses such as canals can also be susceptible, even though they are man-made structures designed to withstand water level changes.

A recent project we worked on in the West Midlands demonstrated this perfectly, where a proposed housing development site is overlooked by raised canal system. The client needed us to analyse the potential for flooding from the canal to help with the planning application and flood impact mitigation.

We use bespoke modelling software which enables us to analyse risk from a variety of potential sources of flooding. These were used to create a hydraulic model to test various canal embankment breach scenarios in order to establish a maximum flood extent.

Close collaboration with the client allowed for effective implementation of our findings into the proposed plans such that development was restricted to the safest and most sustainable areas of the site, outside of the flood extent.

Further information about flood modelling and some example case studies are available via the navigation links at the top of this page. Or you can contact us directly by email: enquiries@rabconsultants.co.uk or via our head office in Staffordshire on 0330 2236475.