Flood Risk and Drainage

SMA has considerable experience in these sectors and is respected by clients and approving bodies reliant on independent non-biased assessments, studies and designs. Expertise and experience is available to support proposals at any stage of development from conception to construction through careful preparation of documents covering:

• • Flood risk assessment
  • Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)
  • River modelling
  • Flood evacuation plans
  • Flood resilience and resistance
  • Catchment studies
  • Sewer network capacity modelling and design
  • Tidal flooding analyses
  • Breach analyses
  • Mitigation measures
  • Pollution control
  • Groundwater impact assessments
  • Assessment of the potential effects of climate change

Our engineers and hydrologists have a comprehensive understanding of legislative and technical issues including:

• Water Framework Directive
• The National Planning Policy Framework and the associated Technical Guidance
• CIRIA 753 – (The SuDS) Manual
• BS 8533:2011 – Assessing and Managing Flood Risk in Development – Code of Practice
• BS EN 752:2008 – Drain and Sewer Systems Outside Buildings
• Sewers for Adoption 6th and 7th Edition
• Environment Agency Guidance

SMA has carried out flood risk and drainage work for strategic development sites as well as new buildings for schools, new leisure and parking facilities and single and multiple dwellings within flood plains. We have also provided advice to Government bodies, including DEFRA (the Marston Vale Surface Waters Plan – a DEFRA pilot study) and the Environment Agency (strategic and site specific flood risk assessments for the River Teign in Devon and the River Loddon in Berkshire).