Report Shows High Flood Risk for Hundreds of Chiswick Homes
'Once in a century' weather event could be devastating for W4
Acton Lane underpass flooded. Picture: Kasia Green
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Hundreds of homes in Chiswick are at risk from surface water flooding according to a report commissioned for the council.
The details emerged with the publication of an updated Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) by Hounslow Council.
This aims to help the Council understand the causes and effects of surface water flooding and agree the most cost-effective way of managing flooding risk for the long term.
Surface water flooding occurs when short duration, intense rainfall cannot infiltrate below ground or enter drainage systems and runs overland. It is intensified when soils are saturated or in urban areas with impermeable ground. The excess water can pond at local low points and often form flow pathways along roads, built up areas or open spaces. When heavy rain falls, water will tend to flow down from the Bollo Lane area into Chiswick towards the Thames.
The borough is divided into a number of catchment areas to assess the risk of surface water flooding. The assessment by consultants Metis concludes that over 400 properties in Chiswick are at risk from a once in a century weather event with over 3,000 at risk from a once in a millennium event.
Most historic flooding events in the area are in the Grove Park area and one of the hot spots for risks identified is around Edensor Road where over 100 homes are considered vulnerable to a once in a century event. Most of the remaining incidents run along Chiswick High Road, Great Chertsey Road and Great West Road.
An appendix to the report showing more detailed information as to the location of the at risk properties has been prepared but not published by the council.
The report has identified 35 hot spots across the borough of especially high risk, five of which are not part of ongoing modelling projects by Hounslow and other boroughs. Two of these unmodelled hotspots are in Chiswick including the one in Edensor Road.
There is a flood alleviation project underway on Flanders Road which is seen as a Critical Drainage Area (CDA).
The Plan outlines how Hounslow has used modelling to identify flooding hot-spots and it will influence future council policies such as investment in infrastructure, drainage maintenance, emergency planning, increasing public engagement and understanding of the causes of flooding, land use planning and future housing developments.
The Plan also sets out how the Council can use co-ordinated action plans with partners such as neighbouring boroughs, Thames Water, the Environment Agency, the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Transport for London (TfL).
The council says it is working with these agencies on the feasibility of several long-term projects to introduce improved and sustainable drainage systems to help tackle flooding in the future. The Thames Water Strategic Partnership (TWSP) is a five-year project running from 2020-2025 which will see £3million invested to improve surface water management by incorporating sustainable drainage systems across the Borough. Initial investigations will be carried out this autumn and winter.
It is also working with the Environment Agency on area-specific Flood Alleviation schemes which will cover Northwest Hounslow; Feltham; Isleworth and Brentford End; Chiswick and Grove Park and will also involve installing sustainable drainage systems.
The council highways team already uses specialist equipment to regularly unblock gutters and drains around the Borough to prevent localised issues.
Cllr Pritam Grewal Hounslow Council Cabinet Member for Contingency Planning, Resilience and Flood Risk Management said, “Unfortunately we saw a number of flooding incidents during heavy rain this summer and this Plan sets out what we intend to do to try and minimise the effects of flooding for residents as part of our wider Climate Emergency Action Plan.
“Every flooded house causes considerable expense, not to mention the stress and emotional toll, so we would encourage residents to also take action to reduce the risk of flooding if they can, and make sure they are prepared in advance if flooding does occur. Planning ahead can mean checking your home’s flood risk and signing up to flood warnings, as well as taking some simple steps such as checking your insurance, knowing how to turn off your gas, electricity and water or finding out where to go to get help.”
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December 12, 2021
