teams
FLOOD1, a joint project between the French Geological Survey (BRGM), the University of Brighton and the BGS, was implemented under the INTERREG IIIa initiative of the European Union to develop appropriate early warning systems for groundwater flooding in Chalk catchments.
It was developed following the particularly severe groundwater floods of the winter of 2000–01 and focussed on flooding in the Patcham area of Brighton and in the Somme Valley of northern France. Research sites were set up to the north of Brighton and in the Hallue sub-catchment of the Somme. An additional site was established at East Ilsley in the Pang Valley of the Berkshire Downs.
An early warning system was developed for the Patcham area of Brighton which, within the context of the available data, provides a fit–for–purpose methodology for forecasting groundwater flood events in the Chalk. One that is capable of operating within a longer timescale than had previously been possible.
The methodology involves a set of nested models based on the research carried out in FLOOD1 and previous understanding of the hydrogeology of the Chalk. It must be pointed out that the methodology has not been tested on a real flooding event as no groundwater flooding has yet occurred in either of the two UK FLOOD 1 research catchments following its development. The early warning system as yet does not include specific trigger levels to initiate either the next step of the methodology or promulgation of warnings of varying severity. Such trigger levels will be developed through experience of use of the system.
For further information download the FLOOD 1 Final Report
Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology paper submissions
GALLAGHER A, BUCKLEY DK, MOLYNEUX I AND RUTTER H. New insights into the deep unsaturated zone of the Chalk aquifer of southern England.
ADAMS B,BLOOMFIELD JP, GALLAGHER AJ, JACKSON CR, RUTTER HK AND WILLIAMS AT. An Early Warning System for Groundwater Flooding in the Chalk
Some aspects of BRGM’s work
PINAULT J-L, N AMRAOUI AND GOLAZ C. 2005. Groundwater-induced flooding in macropore–dominated hydrological system in the context of climate changes. Water Resources Research, Vol., 41, W05001, doi:10.1029/2004WR003169
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