Local Flood Risk Management Strategy

The North Somerset Local Flood Risk Management Strategy sets out our plan to make communities across the area more resilient to surface water flooding, sometimes known as flash flooding, and groundwater flooding.

Parts of the strategy also cover broader flood risks, such as flooding from the sea and large rivers.

The objectives of the strategy are: 

• A flood resilient North Somerset
• Today’s growth and infrastructure in North Somerset being resilient in tomorrow’s climate
• North Somerset ready to respond and adapt to flooding.

Strategy documents

There’s a summary document and the strategy itself is split into seven parts (A to G). The links to all eight documents can be found in the blue box at the end of this page.

• Part A - Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for North Somerset (full strategy).
• Part B - A guide to North Somerset Flood Risk Management Authorities.

Many organisations, including landowners, have different rights and responsibilities when managing flood risk. This part is an explanation of who does what in North Somerset.

• The Environment Agency is responsible for managing the flood risk from the sea and main rivers.
• North Somerset Levels Internal Drain age Board (IDB) is responsible for managing the flood risk from watercourses in its district
• North Somerset Council is responsible for managing the risk of flooding from surface water, groundwater, adopted highways and watercourses outside of the Internal Drainage Board (IDB) area
• Wessex Water is responsible for manging the risk of flooding from public sewers
• National Highways is responsible for providing and managing drainage for the M5 motorway

Managing risk does not always mean that the authority has a duty to fix the problem. However, landowners are responsible for managing flood risk on their land and in any watercourses and rivers that they own.

Risk Management Authority contact details

Part C - A guide to flood risk funding

This section include an explanation of how flood risk activities are funded in North Somerset, including across different organisations and how funding for large schemes is obtained. 

Flood risk funding is complicated and is split into two different categories:

• Capital work
  • New flood defences
  • Replacement of an asset
  • Work to extend the life of an asset
  • Work to improve an asset
• Revenue activities
  • Maintenance and repair

Part D - North Somerset Natural Flood Management

Natural Flood Management (NFM) is a way of using natural features and land management to slow the flow of water and reduce flood risk downstream. This could include using features such as:

• leaky dams – creating a dam with wood that will slow the flow of water and store more water in the upper part of the catchment
• creating ponds and bunds – to temporary store water in the landscape
• planting winter crops – to stop winter soil being washed off fields into watercourses and onto roads
• planting trees and hedgerows – in the right location these can slow the flow of water and reduce flood risk downstream

Part E - Flood Resilient North Somerset

How local communities can be more resilient to flooding, adapt and recover more quickly when flooded.

Part F - Small Watercourse Maintenance Good Practice

A guide to maintaining small watercourses for flood risk and wildlife.

Part G - North Somerset Coastal Flood Risk Awareness

An explanation of the risk from coastal flooding and the impact of climate change and sea level rise.