Calderdale Flood Action Plan Overview - October 2018

Calderdale Flood Partnership
The Calderdale flood action plan is supported and delivered by
partners across the catchment.

Strengthening Defences
We have been developing a programme of works to reduce flooding
from rivers and surface water.
• Consulting, planning and constructing flood alleviation schemes for
Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge and Brighouse.
• Calderdale Council are identifying where there is not enough
capacity in existing surface water drainage systems.
• Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water are working to identify
and use reservoirs that could help reduce the risk of flooding.
• Canal & River Trust are exploring whether canals can be used to
protect against flooding.
• Yorkshire Water are improving sewer networks.
• Slow the Flow are promoting sustainable urban drainage systems.
Calderdale Flood Partnership - reducing the risk of flooding for Calderdale

Securing Funding and
Political Support
•The government have committed over £55
million to improve flood defences across the
Calder Valley by 2021 – combining traditional
defences with natural measures to slow the
flow upstream.
•£35 million of the government funding has
been agreed since the December 2015 floods.
•Funding bids to secure additional funds
continue to be made to develop additional
schemes and develop innovative solutions.
•To date funding has been committed by:
DEFRA, Calderdale Council, European funds,
Leeds City Region growth funds, Local Levy,
Woodland Trust and other government funds.
UNCLASSIFIED 4

£30 million flood alleviation
scheme for Mytholmroyd
 Construction of new Caldene Bridge
underway.
 Works on Cragg Brook will complete
November 2018, including new
footbridge;
 Works required for downstream
communities in design development;
consultations ongoing.
 Construction of new, raised, and improved flood walls ongoing to Winter
2019/20;
 Widening of the river channel at St. Michael’s church ongoing ~ 2000
tonnes of material to be removed;
 New, wider Caldene Bridge will enable channel widening at this location;

Talking flood resilience with
Mytholmroyd
• An information day on the
Mytholmroyd flood
alleviation scheme saw 300
members of the public
come through the doors.
• Led by contractor VBA,
with partners Calderdale
Council and Environment
Agency, the event gave
residents a chance to see
plans for the £30million
project and ask questions.

• Scheme options are accessible at
http://eyeoncalderdale.com
• Work is beginning on ground
investigations and structural
assessments on existing buildings
and walls.
• We are continuing the development
of the design work for the flood
alleviation scheme.
• We plan to undertake further
consultations December 2018/
January 2019 and March 2019.
In July 2017 we held a consultation
event at Hebden Bridge showing
options for the scheme.
Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation
Scheme Proposals

Reservoir management to reduce
flooding
• The Environment Agency and Yorkshire
Water have completed a regional study
to identify reservoirs that could be used
to help reduce flooding.
• Pilot was completed March 2018 in the
Upper Calder on six reservoirs to
explore the impacts and operational
feasibility of utilising ~10% of their
capacity for flood storage.
• Three new actions in the flood plan are
evaluating options, costs, operating
principles and a potential programme of
work.
• There are a number of technical,
environmental, legal and regulatory
challenges to overcome.
The Environment Agency, United
Utilities, Yorkshire Water, DEFRA
and OFWAT have established a
national working group to look at
issues related to the use of water
supply reservoirs for flood
attenuation.

Flood Risk Reduction Schemes
Phase 1 – completed schemes
Completed ramp and the
construction of a new wall
at Shop Lock, Union
Street, Todmorden
New trash screen, working
platform and access steps
at Nutclough, Hebden
Bridge
Surface water collection
system on A6033 Keighley
Road (north of Nutclough)
Shop Lock, Todmorden; Nutclough, Hebden Bridge; Bacup Road,
Todmorden; Pin Hill, Midgley; Woodland View, Hebden Bridge

13
Flood Risk Reduction Scheme
Phase 2 - possible projects

The Environment Agency held four community
drop-in events at Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge,
Hebden Bridge and Todmorden in June
2017. Partners including Calderdale Council,
Canal and River Trust, Northern PowerGrid,
Yorkshire Water were present.
Seven projects are now being developed for
business case approval:
Copley, Calderside, Machpelah Screen,
Shaw Wood Road, Cottonstones, Railes
Close and Harvelin Park
Eight schemes are currently undergoing
further investigation and will progress to
delivery if they have viable business cases.
Flood Risk Reduction Schemes
Phase 2 (FRRS2)

15
YWS carried out a number of
refurbishments to our reservoirs in
Calderdale, investigated solutions to
reduce sewer flooding and created
drainage area plans for Luddenden Foot,
Sowerby Bridge, Elland and Hebden
Bridge.
YWS Actions
Complete
In progress
Yorkshire Water – refurbished
reservoirs, sewers, drainage plans

You Can Slow The Flow! SuDs
(Sustainable Drainage systems)
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) mimic the natural cycle of water
management by retaining water where it lands (instead of shedding it
quickly to drains and watercourses, which can lead to floods). Slow The
Flow Calderdale is raising awareness of how this can be achieved by
everyone in their urban environment at home, at work, at school and in
public places.

Slow The Flow Calderdale:
Library of SuDS case studies
These small-scale, low cost ideas
showcase how local people are using
SuDS and Green Infrastructure to
combat flooding and improve the
environment.
Take a look and think about what you
can do! If enough people act, we can
make a big difference to the effects of
future flood events
If you have already done something to
slow the flow of storm water, please
share it by submitting a case study at
www.slowtheflow.net and inspire
others.

Calderdale Council – road gully
improvement
• Calderdale Council successfully secured nearly £1 million from the
Department for Transport (DfT) to boost local flood defence work in
2017. Around 1,100 road gullies in Calderdale were repaired,
replaced or upgraded.
• Calderdale Council concentrated its £1 million funding on major roads
throughout the borough including the A646 at Todmorden, Hebden
Bridge and Mytholmroyd, A646 Burnley Road and A6033 Rochdale
Road from Todmorden towards Burnley and Rochdale, A644
Wakefield Road in Brighouse, A58 Whitehall Road in Lightcliffe and
the A58 Ripponden to Sowerby Bridge. Work started on site in
September 2017 and was completed within a year.

Ongoing Environment Agency
maintenance

Natural Flood Management
(NFM)
Natural flood management aims to manage the landscape to slow the
flow of water, this includes:
• Understanding the relationships between catchment
management and flooding.
• Delivering NFM techniques which can contribute to flood
reduction and alleviation - water storage, planting trees, changing
land management.
• Working with land owners and land managers to contribute to
solutions such as stewardship schemes to support flood
management techniques.
• Influencing government policy and ensuring adequate regulation.

Working with Natural Processes
(WWNP)
In 2018 an evidence base was launched by the Environment Agency
comprising:
• The Evidence Directory summarises the effectiveness of Working with
Natural Process measures;
• Maps of the potential for Working with Natural Processes;
• A guide which explains how to use the directory and maps to help make the
case for implementing WWNP when developing business cases
Evidence
Directory
Research
gaps
Mapping
the
potential for
WWNP
Programme
Rivers and floodplain
management
Woodland management
• River restoration
• Floodplain restoration
• Leaky barriers
• Offline storage areas
• Catchment woodlands
• Floodplains woodlands
• Riparian woodlands
• Cross-slope woodlands
Run-off management Coast and estuary
management
• Soil and land management
• Headwater drainage
• Run-off pathway
• Saltmarsh and mudflats
• Sand dunes
• Beach nourishment

Tree & Woodland Strategy
• The TWS 2017-2027 & associated action
plan is now in final draft after consultation
with stakeholders.
• The strategy which outlines an approach to
tree and woodland management across
Calderdale, for the next 10 years, is due to
go to Calderdale Cabinet in January 2019.

Maps of land use to inform
potential locations for NFM
23
Managed grazing to achieve sward structure/biodiversity
Calderdale

Opportunity mapping to inform
potential locations for NFM

Natural Flood Management
Guidance
Natural flood management guidance for farmers, landowners and
other land managers specific to Calderdale launched May 2018.

Hardcastle crags pilot project
• A Natural Flood Management pilot project at Hebden Water and
Crimsworth Dean Beck, Hardcastle Crags.
• Slow the Flow are working with the Environment Agency, the
National Trust and neighbouring landowners;
• Small working parties are working in Hardcastle Crags;
• Using fallen trees and other natural materials already in situ where
possible;
• Some tree felling as part of the longer term forestry management
plan;
• Installation of leaky dams / log jams / re-use of mill ponds and gully
stuffing;
• Working on brooks, ditches and the main channels.

Volunteer days at Hardcastle
Crags
Volunteers working on
gully stuffing and leaky
dams
Nathan the horse used to
move large trees working
with volunteers

Woody leaky dams
Plate weir
Gully stuffing

Gorpley landscape for
water project
• On the moors above Gorpley, 60
hectares of grassland will be planted
with trees slowing the flow of water.
• Approximately 3,000 trees will be
planted per hectare, up to 200,000
trees over the next ten years.
• Treesponsibility and other community
groups will be major delivery bodies
for this work.
• Yorkshire Water together with the White Rose Forest partnership have
been investigating tree planting opportunities across the Yorkshire Water
estate.
• Work at Gorpley has been awarded £50,000 from DEFRA and additional
funding from the Woodland Trust.

The Source Partnership have delivered
practical work to install NFM measures:
• Work includes treating landslides with
fascines (pictured), removing
Himalayan Balsam and thinning
shallow rooted beech trees
• Tree planting as part of Trees for
Yorkshire at Wilcroft House,
Stonebooth Cottage, Upper
Crimsworth, Pinnacle Farm, Lodge
Farm, Trial Holes (Upper Calder
Catchment), Pickwood House, Lower
Springs Farm
• Leaky dams at Hardcastle Craggs and
a project to install a small number of
river level monitors in the Calder Valley
The Source Partnership

New community project at
Midgleden Brook in Calderdale
• A DEFRA funded £50,000
community project to help
reduce the risk of flooding
started winter 2017 and is
running for 3 years.
• The project has been
developed by the SOURCE
partnership.
• Works are being led by
Treesponsibility, Slow the Flow,
Calder Rivers Trust, Upper
Calderdale Wildlife Network,
Sticks and Stones and
Calderdale Council.
Project aims to reduce erosion,
prevent sediment in water courses,
plant trees and hedgerow,
managing woodland and improving
the river environment.

River Stewardship
• Community led river channel maintenance and stewardship work is
being funded, this is being delivered by Calder Valley Clean-Up
team and Calder Future.
• In 2017 and 2018 young volunteers from Calderdale took part in
work to tackle Himalayan Balsam part of the summer National
Citizenship Service programme.

Landowner engagement:
grants for NFM
A new grant scheme was launched
May 2018 to support landowners
to install NFM measures on private
land.
Initially £300,000 is being released
by the Environment Agency and
CMBC to deliver new NFM
interventions.
A number of local partners working
with the SOURCE partnership
including Treesponsibility, Slow the
Flow and South Pennines
Facilitation Fund have initiated the
scheme and helped farmers and
landowners survey their land and
determine what measures may be
suitable.

Resilient Infrastructure
We have been working hard to repair and strengthen key
infrastructure to ensure it is operational for future floods,
this includes:
• Reviewing the flood risk of roads, railways, water
and power supplies that are locally critical;
• Protecting and maintaining significant
infrastructure;
• Setting out maintenance plans and supporting local
communities to carry out their own maintenance
work.

Energy Infrastructure
• Hebden Bridge energy supply was the area worst affected in
the Boxing Day 2015 floods.
• 80% of businesses were affected.
• In all, seven of Northern PowerGrid sites were affected.
• Two sites suffered disruptive failures, three sites required
maintenance and one needed cleaning.
• Northern PowerGrid has completed repair work at six sites.
• Four substations in Todmorden and Hebden Bridge are being
relocated.

Sub-stations repaired or relocated
Mayroyd transformer
required maintenance once
the flood waters receded.
Scout Rd sub-station relocated to
the war memorial garden, 3 metres
above the 2015 floodwater height
• Northern Power Grid has completed repair work at 6 sites in 2016- 2017
• Recovery, relocation and improving resilience ongoing on a number of other
sub-station sites.

Sub-stations being replaced
Hebble End poorly located by the river Calder Mill also located close to the river
Stubbing Holme Rd also penetrated by
flood water
Market St. site did not flood but
is in poor condition

38
£25m Department for
Transport Recovery Fund
Work has included:
 Reconstruction of Elland,
Crowther and Copley (now
Wilson) Bridge;
 Landslip stabilisation at Falling
Royd, A6026 Wakefield Road
and Scout Road;
 401 bridge scour assessments;
 41km of flood-damaged
carriageway repaired;
 36 further flood recovery
schemes delivered.

Elland Bridge - Calderdale Council &
Canal and River Trust recovery work
• Bridge opened to pedestrians 15th
January 2017
• Bridge opened to vehicles 9th
February 2017
• 2nd April “Elland Celebrates” – canal,
road, towpath and footpaths all
reopened.
• Elland bridge connected Elland with
Halifax via A629 and was lost during the
2015 Boxing Day flood event.
• The bridge was demolished & two
temporary bridges were built, one for
pedestrians and one for utilities.

Recovery work – Wakefield Road,
Salterhebble
• Retaining wall supporting Wakefield Road was significantly damaged
during the December 2015 floods, leaving the main road above at risk.
• The reconstruction cost £900,000, including design and temporary
works and careful selection of wall type and finish.
• Works completed March 2017.

Recovery work – Copley Bridge
• Replacement structure is a steel
truss bridleway bridge and some
of the original stone was used as
monumental features.
• Bridge re-opened autumn 2017.
• Copley bridge connecting Copley
Village with Greetland was lost
during 2015 Boxing Day flood event.
• Grade 2 listed structure built 1857, owner
unknown and Heritage England was unable
to save, sadly demolished December 2016.

Canal recovery work supported by
volunteers in Walsden, Todmorden and
Hebden Bridge
The Canal & River Trust is developing its first national Flood Risk
Management Strategy, and are planning to consult on it externally in
2018.

Repairing and Maintaining
Rights of Way
54 flood recovery schemes delivered to rights of way.
At Jumble Hole Clough water had eroded the clough to form
a plunge pool and carved out a large area under the
retaining wall and road.
• The road had to be closed;
• Environment Agency and landowners consulted;
• Central section of the clough was built up with boulders,
shuttering to the side of the undermined section and
filled with reinforced concrete;
• Placed additional boulders on reinforced concrete.
Footpath at
Shelf before
and after

Resilient water infrastructure
• Replaced spring drain at Widdop to ensure stability of reservoir
embankment.
• Investigated feasibility of measures to replace support structures at
Walker Lane, Sowerby Bridge, and Huddersfield that were washed
away during the December 2015 floods.
• Carried out Widdop flood study and refurbishment of the spillway to
make sure it operates safely during flooding.
• Carried out work to protect the embankment on the upstream face of
the dam at Gorpley from further erosion.
• Carried out work to protect the embankment on the upstream face of
the dam at Dean Head Lower from further erosion.
Yorkshire Water have completed a number of actions to
strengthen water infrastructure:

Asset inspection and
refurbishment
45
• Inspection of 1792 critical assets out
of 7048 flood risk assets to date.
• Asset register published on the
Calderdale dataworks website.
(https://dataworks.calderdale.gov.uk)
• 111 asset recovery programme
schemes completed by the end of the
financial year (2017/2018).
• Dealing with emergencies arising
from failure of old flood risk
structures.
• Investigations of flood risk and
drainage infrastructure defects.

Community Resilience
• Since the devastating floods the partnership has supported the
community in many ways to make sure that people and property
are more resilient in flood incidents.
• Effective warnings are vital and many people have signed up to
get flood warnings. Partners are investigating new methods to
warn communities where river levels rise quickly.
• The partnership have established a network for community flood
action groups and a database of volunteers who can help out
during and after floods.
• Resilience begins with the individual, the householder, the
business.

Community Communication
• Information shared via Eye on
Calderdale, social media, the
Calderdale flood partner
newsletter, news bulletins,
infographics etc.
• Flood warnings, news, advice on
what to do before, during and after
a flood.
• Community engagement via drop-
ins, construction day events and
workshops.
• Communications during and
outside office hours on flood and
weather-related incidents.
• Campaigns encouraging
preparedness for future flooding.

48
We are hugely thankful to
everyone who volunteered
during the floods of Boxing
Day 2015.
We also need to be prepared
for any future emergencies.
So, we have created a
database of people who are
willing to help.
Would you like to volunteer in
the future? Please email
volunteerfloodfeedback@calde
rdale.gov.uk, giving details of
the skills and resources you
can provide.
Alternatively, visit www.eyeoncalderdale.com/community/volunteering-
opportunities for more information on the full range of volunteering
opportunities available.
Volunteer Support

Watermark Flood Fund
• A Community Foundation for Calderdale project part funded by
Calderdale Council.
• Watermark Flood Fund’s aim is to build a pot of money that can be
accessed by businesses & households immediately in a major flood
event.
• Shops or businesses sell a WATERMARK product, and a percentage
or all the profits go into the fund.
• Over the last 2 years the fund has raised over £250k, the next target
is £500k with your help. Find out how you can get involved
www.watermarkfund.org

Support to Businesses
• Small business (less
than 50 employees)
were the worst
affected by the
Boxing Day floods.
• Calderdale Council
received 669
applications for
grants.
• 588 grant were paid
out when the
scheme ended:
£2,651,706
Windows blocked off
New front door flood
gate

Support to Residents
• Flood grant programme completed at end of
March 2018.
• 1620 grant applications were received since
the programme opened in February 2016.
• Average residential grant approved £4,500 per
property.
• Resilience work completed on 1347 homes
• Total spend of 6.06 million on residential grants
Calderdale Partnership - reducing the risk of flooding for Calderdale

More resilient homes
Works to homes have included:
• Fitting stainless steel kitchen units and
worktop;
• Store cupboards with quick release
doors and removable shelves;
• Installing a tiled floor that can be easily
cleaned;
• Stripping the plaster to expose the
natural stone walls;
• Raised electrical wiring and switches;
• Lifting the level of white goods including
oven, washer/dryer.
Flood resilient stainless steel kitchen units
Raised electric points and wiring in
stainless steel conduit pipes

53
The Calderdale Local Plan follows the
National Planning Policy Framework’s
guidance that 'inappropriate
development’ in areas at risk of
flooding should be avoided by
directing development away from
areas at highest risk.
In Calderdale, the Strategic Flood
Risk Assessment identifies 4,648
residential properties to be within
Flood Zone 3 and therefore at risk
from a 1 in 100 year or greater fluvial
flood event.
The Environment Agency Flood Map
for Planning is updated regularly, this
is used as the starting point when
considering flood risk through the
planning system.
Sustainable drainage systems and
other forms of 'Green Infrastructure'
such as green spaces and increased
tree cover are encouraged to assist
existing traditional infrastructure.
Calderdale Local Plan

8 Environment Agency flood warning sirens tested in 2016 and 2017.
Calderdale Council ran response and recovery Scenarios:
• The 2017 Response Scenario involved 120 players from 15 partnership agencies and
volunteer organisations
• Recovery Scenario involved over 60 players from Council and partnership agencies
• 2018 walkthrough setup exercise planned for November 2018
Calderdale Live Exercise 2016,
2017 and 2018
Calderdale Partnership - reducing the risk of flooding for Calderdale

Opening the 6 community hubs
in Calderdale
As part of the Calderdale Live Exercise 2016, six community hubs were
opened to work along side each other if there is an emergency in
Calderdale
Hebden Bridge Community Hub

UNCLASSIFIED 56
13 Calderdale Flood Stores
13 flood stores have been set up across the Calder Valley
to help mitigate flood damage and assist in clean ups.
Luddendenfoot
flood store.

Testing the flood warning sirens
57
Flood Warning Area

Mytholmroyd
flood
information
• A dedicated flood information centre was open for 18 months in
Mytholmroyd after the Boxing Day floods.
• Up to date information on the flood alleviation scheme is available for
residents.
• Any concerns or questions please come and talk to a member of the
team at the Red Acre Site or call in to the Mytholmroyd Community
Centre on a Friday morning from 9am – 12 noon.
• Alternatively, contact us by email mytholmroydFAS@environment-
agency.gov.uk

Flood wardens down the valley
• Our 9 warden groups include Todmorden, Callis Bridge, Hebden Bridge,
Mytholmroyd, Sowerby Bridge, Elland, Luddendenfoot, Copley, and
Brighouse
• Flood warden network events have taken place in February 2017,
November 2017 and May 2018.
• We now have over 60 wardens across Calderdale.
• A number of wardens have completed Water Safety, First Aid and social
media training to provide increased community resilience and response.

Funded radios for flood wardens
• Calderdale Council and the
Environment Agency have
funded new radios for flood
wardens, this means better
communication links in flood
events.
• Radios are linked into the
council community hubs and
this is ensuring wardens can
send and receive messages
quickly & easily in the event
of a flood.

Flood plans for schools
& carehomes
• All Calderdale schools have been
advised about developing emergency
flood plans
• Todmorden Children Centre have
developed a emergency flood plan
• Activity sessions at Burnley Road
Academy including a giant flood game
and ‘show and tell’, which helped
children learn about why they flooded,
this helped them to feel more prepared
if it happens again.
• It was also an opportunity for
information to be taken home to
parents and guardians.
• Members of the flood resilience
team visited Mytholmroyd
Meadows, a care home and
sheltered housing for vulnerable
adults and elderly people.
• They also worked with the homes
managers to create a detailed
flood plan for the care home.

Encouraging residents to
sign up to flood line
• In 2016 the Environment Agency sent out
a 10,000 mail shot out to all homes in
Calderdale that are at flood risk
promoting our flood line service.
• Since the mail shot we have had an
increase in sign ups, this means more
households will receive our flood alerts
and warnings & can hopefully be better
prepared.
• Our flood resilience team has been out
door knocking encouraging people to sign
up.
• Don’t miss out register for flood line
here https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-
warnings

UNCLASSIFIED 63
Mental Health Support

2018 Refresh of the
Calderdale Flood Action Plan
• The flood action plan was originally published in October
2016.
• The plan has been revised and updated spring 2017 and
summer 2018, and new actions added.
• 58 actions in the plan have been completed as of summer
2018.
• All changes to the plan are detailed in Appendix 1, please
see http://eyeoncalderdale.com/flood-action-plan
• Ongoing or business as usual actions are now detailed in
Appendix 2.
• We are committed to regularly report on the plan – reports
can be found at http://eyeoncalderdale.com/flood-action-
plan

Emergency Numbers
Environment Agency Floodline (24 hours)
0345 988 1188
Environment Agency Incident Hotline (24 hours)
0800 80 70 60
Yorkshire Water 0345 1 24 24 24
Canal and River Trust 0800 47 999 47
Northern Powergrid 0800 375 675
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
01422 288000

Calderdale Flood Action Plan Overview - October 2018

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