OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí
Flood Studies Update
The Flood Studies Report (FSR), published in 1975, remains the standard methodology for flood estimation in Ireland. The Report of the Flood Policy Review Group in 2004 recognised that the development of new or recalibrated flood estimation methods in Ireland could significantly improve the quality and facility of flood estimation for the purposes of flood risk management. In 2005 the Office of Public Works (OPW) began the Flood Studies Update (FSU) Programme - implementing the recommendation that the FSR be updated - and progress is now well underway. The FSU will develop new, digital flood estimation methodologies that reflect conditions and technologies in modern Irish hydrology.
The programme required to update the FSR comprises a number of discrete Work Packages arranged into six Work Groups. Work Groups 1 to 4 are defined by subject, and Work Groups 5 and 6 are defined by purpose. The Work Packages are primarily being undertaken as research contracts by relevant state research and development institutions. The Work Group divisions are as follows:
Work Group 1. Meteorological Analysis
Work Group 2. Hydrological Analysis
Work Group 3. Flood Hydrograph Analysis
3.1 Flood Hydrograph Width Analysis
3.3 Floodplain Attenuation Analysis
Work Group 4. Urban Catchment Flood Analysis
4.1 Scoping Study of Urban Flood Issues
4.2 FSU Guidance on Urban Flood Estimation
4.3 Effects of Urbanisation
Work Group 5. Development of information systems
5.1 Study of Information systems
5.2 Base Flow Index from Soils
5.3 Preparation of Physical Catchment Descriptors
5.4 FLATWET
Work Group 6. Dissemination and Publication of FSU products
The programme is expected to be complete by mid to late 2009, and it is anticipated that the outputs will be launched as a freely-available, web-based, flood estimation tool for Ireland. Following dissemination, it will be subjected to ongoing (or ‘dynamic’) updates periodically.