Written Question · S4W-19083 · Session 4
Which areas of Dumfries and Galloway receive a full flood warning service from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and whether it pl…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government which areas of Dumfries and Galloway receive a full flood warning service from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and whether it plans to fund an increase in the provision of this service.
The answer
The Scottish Government has continuously funded improvements to Flood Warning in Scotland including providing the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) with £8.6 million to enhance their flood warning service by implementing Floodline’s Direct Warning Service, and establishing the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service (a partnership between SEPA and the Met Office to provide early warning to local authorities, emergency services and other partners in Scotland through a daily flood guidance statement) at an annual cost of around £560,000. We have also committed to continue to fund the implementation of SEPA’s Flood Warning Strategy and have provided £189,000 for improvements to flood warning in 2013-14.
SEPA’s current service in Dumfries and Galloway includes flood alerts, which cover the whole region and are issued when SEPA forecasts that 'flooding is possible' anywhere in the region. It is an early alert to help people prepare for dealing with the possibility of flooding, generally issued up to 24 hours in advance. However it is not a targeted flood warning at community level.
SEPA offers more specific targeted flood warnings at about 250 locations in Scotland where there are a network of rain gauges and flow gauges sufficient to forecast flooding conditions with more accuracy. In Dumfries and Galloway, SEPA currently provides such a flood warning service for the River Nith in Dumfries, Whitesands.
In 2014, SEPA will extend the River Nith flood forecasting model upstream of Dumfries. The initial plans were for one additional flood warning location immediately upstream of Dumfries, however, following the flood event of 30 December 2013, SEPA is currently considering the feasibility of extending the model further upstream to include Kirkconnel.
As published in the 2012-2016 Flood Warning Strategy, SEPA is also planning to develop a new coastal flood warning scheme for the Solway Firth in 2015. The communities which will benefit from this new warning scheme will be defined in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council and will take full account of the recent flood impacts.
We are also in early discussions with SEPA about extending the warning service in other areas recently affected by flooding in Dumfries and Galloway; such developments require detailed feasibility and cost assessments which will be undertaken in 2014-15.
In addition, the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service can also provide partners with specific advice on areas not covered by formal flood warning schemes, such as estimates of rainfall totals for specific areas and communities which may be impacted. Dumfries and Galloway receives the full benefit of this service.
SEPA’s current service in Dumfries and Galloway includes flood alerts, which cover the whole region and are issued when SEPA forecasts that 'flooding is possible' anywhere in the region. It is an early alert to help people prepare for dealing with the possibility of flooding, generally issued up to 24 hours in advance. However it is not a targeted flood warning at community level.
SEPA offers more specific targeted flood warnings at about 250 locations in Scotland where there are a network of rain gauges and flow gauges sufficient to forecast flooding conditions with more accuracy. In Dumfries and Galloway, SEPA currently provides such a flood warning service for the River Nith in Dumfries, Whitesands.
In 2014, SEPA will extend the River Nith flood forecasting model upstream of Dumfries. The initial plans were for one additional flood warning location immediately upstream of Dumfries, however, following the flood event of 30 December 2013, SEPA is currently considering the feasibility of extending the model further upstream to include Kirkconnel.
As published in the 2012-2016 Flood Warning Strategy, SEPA is also planning to develop a new coastal flood warning scheme for the Solway Firth in 2015. The communities which will benefit from this new warning scheme will be defined in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council and will take full account of the recent flood impacts.
We are also in early discussions with SEPA about extending the warning service in other areas recently affected by flooding in Dumfries and Galloway; such developments require detailed feasibility and cost assessments which will be undertaken in 2014-15.
In addition, the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service can also provide partners with specific advice on areas not covered by formal flood warning schemes, such as estimates of rainfall totals for specific areas and communities which may be impacted. Dumfries and Galloway receives the full benefit of this service.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-19083 by reference.