Counting the potential costs of groundwater flooding

The Multi-Coloured Manual brings together information and research on the impacts of flooding and erosion, to help assess the economic impacts against the cost of alleviation measures.

By partnering with Lincolnshire County Council’s Project Groundwater team, it is hoped a groundwater-specific analysis of flood risk and economic appraisals can be developed.

Once the new methods of assessing groundwater flooding’s economic impact have been put together, they will be tested on four Lincolnshire case-study areas: Barton and Barrow upon Humber, Grimsby, Scopwick and Lincoln’s Hillside Avenue.

Putting together the analysis, the teams will look at:

Analysis: How widespread is groundwater flooding, and how often does it occur?

Property losses: How are residents and businesses impacted and what costs do they face from groundwater flooding, compared to river flooding?

Damage: How much does it cost when groundwater flooding damages roads, utilities and other infrastructure?

Agriculture: How does groundwater flooding affect crop growth, yields and land-use? How much does this cost farmers and consumers?

Coun Colin Davie, executive member for environment at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Groundwater flooding is the least-understood form of flooding nationally. This is demonstrated by the fact that its effects are not yet included in comprehensive, high-level documents like the Multi-Coloured Manual.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to correct that omission, and better understand how much groundwater flooding costs us all when it damages our homes, businesses, agricultural land, and roads.

“The effects of groundwater are significantly different to flooding from rivers, coastal or surface water flooding. It often lasts for much longer periods, with water seeping up, and the full extent of the impacts can take a long time to become apparent.”

The Multi-Coloured Manual is produced by the Flood Hazard Research Centre (FHRC) based at Middlesex University. It is produced with funding from the Environment Agency and Defra.

Project Groundwater is a partnership scheme across Greater Lincolnshire, which aims to better understand groundwater flooding and how it can be managed. It was one of 25 successful schemes awarded funding by Defra as part of their Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme, receiving £7.18m in 2023.

For more information about Project Groundwater, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/projectgroundwater.