#49 Uncharted waters: Flooding and drought

This winter a series of weather bombs detonated across the UK, overwhelming river systems and overtopping flood defences. River levels were off the charts, 4000 properties flooded, some temporary defences failed and people took to the streets in canoes. The UK is entering unchartered territory as far as flooding is concerned. Yet the threat of drought is not far away as climate change tells us that warmer temperatures and drier summers are here to stay. Facing the reality of global heating and rising sea levels means managing water differently – considering hydrological boundaries instead of administrative ones. In this episode we explore how we can manage and even capture flood water to provide resilience across the country and talk to organisations that are using these catchment level approaches to plan for the future of sustainable water resource management. GUESTS Fiona Barbour, Global Practice Leader, Water Resources and Flooding, Mott MacDonald Professor Trevor Bishop, Director, Water Resources South East Dr Aidan Foley, Principal Hydrogeologist, Mott MacDonald Rob Eastaway, Author of “Maths on the Back of an Envelope” and Founder of Maths Inspiration Professor Robert Nicholls. I’m the director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. Nancy Smith, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Water Resources East Sally Watson, Technical Excellence Lead, Water and Environment, Mott MacDonald PARTNER Mott MacDonald: Opening opportunities with connected thinking. Mott MacDonald is a US$2bn engineering, management and development consultancy involved in:  solving some of the world’s most urgent social, environmentaland economic challenges helping governments and businesses plan, deliver andsustain their strategic goals responding to humanitarian and natural emergencies improving people’s lives  Its expertise by sector includes buildings, communications, defence, education, environment, health, industry, mining, oil and gas, power, transport, urban development, water, wastewater and more. Its skills encompass planning, studies and design, project finance, technical advisory services, project and programme management, management consultancy and beyondThe post #49 Uncharted waters: Flooding and drought first appeared on Engineering Matters.