Conclusions and Goals from the National Flood Forum

West Cork Hotel, skibbereen,

20tH november 2010.

ConClusions and Goals

from the

national

flood forum

www.IrishNationalFloodForum.com

National Flood Forum Report 1

Contents

Page 1. Overview of Forum & Chairman’s summary. Page 6. Key findings arising from Forum.

Page 7. The need for an ‘Irish National Flood Forum’.

Page 8. Finance.

Page 9. Compilations.

Page 10. Appendices.

2 National Flood Forum Report

Mark Adamson of the OPW giving his presentation, under the eye of Forum Chairman.

Minister Dr. Martin Mansergh talking with the Chairman, and Hon. Sec. of Skibbereen Floods Com-mittee, Dan McCarthy, and Cathal O’Donovan.


Chapter 1

overview of the forum Day.

The Irish National Flood Forum was held in Skibbereen on the 20th November 2010.

The speakers at the Forum, chaired by Dr.Sean McCarthy, of Hyperion were -Sean Kelly, MEP – The European Perspective.Dr. Eamon McKeogh, UCC – Hydrology and Fluid Dynamics.Dr. Juliana McLeod, HSE – Mental Health Effects of Flooding.Mark Adamson, OPW – OPW Flood Risk Management.Sean Kelleher, FBD – Insurance issues.Michael O’Brien, - Human cost of flooding to communities.Dr. Martin Manseragh, TD – Minister with special responsibility for the OPW.

A total of 163 people attended the event. Included were attendees from Counties Galway, Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Cork.As well as members of the public, there were representatives from- The Office of Public Works. Cork County Council. The IFA. The Office of Emergency Planning / Dept of Defence. TD’s and Senators. Local Authority elected representatives.

Many of the attendees commented on the presentation of Dr. Juliana MacLeod who stressed the im-portance of immediate remedial works and aid for flood victims.

Sean Kelly MEP, gave a valuable insight into Irish Flooding Events from a European perspective. He detailed what supports are available, and outlined the regulations that affect Ireland.

Dr. Eamon McKeogh of UCC gave a detailed understanding of how a flood event works. He explained fluid dynamics and the physics of hydrology. Sean Kelleher, speaking on Insurance issues related to flooding, was particularly interesting to repre-sentatives of flooded communities.

Mark Adamson of the OPW Flood Risk Management Division, who highlighted the fact that Novem-ber 2009 flooding, was on average 500mm higher than the highest previous recorded level across the entire country was also a well remembered presentation.

Mr Michael O’Brien gave a passionate presentation of a typical flooding event on a local community.


The concluding presentation was by the Minister of State at the Dept of Finance, with special respon-sibility for the OPW, Dr.Martin Mansergh. Dr. Mansergh stated his belief that flood relief for commu-nities is more important, than just environmental concerns. This was taken as a great comfort for the communities that have been flooded.

Chairman’s Summary:-

The chairperson, Dr. Sean McCarthy managed the event in superb fashion. His summary of the Forum day is as follows.

“The flooding problem being addressed by communities around Ireland is a real urgent problem. The attendance at the conference showed the importance of the subject.

The problem is due to a combination of change in weather patterns and neglect.

The impact on local communities and individuals is both economic and human. The lack of a sense of security can be felt in the communities years after the flooding event.

The main message from the forum is that the problem can be fixed through Prevention, Protection and being Prepared. The Minister in his speech emphasised that whatever solution was proposed would have to be flexible to allow for future climate change.

Dr. Eamonn McKeogh (UCC) emphasised that the solution would have to be holistic – it would have to take into account all aspects of the catchment area. Partial remedies would not be a long-term solu-tion.

The solution for each flooded community in Ireland would have to be the ‘appropriate’ solution. Each case has different catchment areas, different physical locations and different settings. The solution will also be a mixture of expert theory and local knowledge.

The solution to the flooding problem may also present an opportunity for Ireland to excel in this field. There is an international market for dealing with flooding.

The discussion highlighted a number of issues that would have to be considered when planning for the future. Three aspects were stressed: the time, the scale and the players.

Time - The plan would have to address immediate concerns of the people affected by flooding and the long-term sustainable solution.

Scale - The solution will be a combination of actions at National, Local and Individual level.

Players - In the solution a range of organisations will be involved. These include the local commu-nity, the insurance companies, the engineers, the County Councils and the OPW. Each of these organisations has their own procedures, their own priorities and their own language. One of the outcomes of the forum was to understand these procedures, priorities and lan-guage.


How to proceed?

Politics is about priorities. It is critical that the flooding issue is maintained as a high political priority issue. It is also important that the communities work together to provide a coordinated set of actions.A forum, similar to the Skibbereen forum, should be held on an annual basis to act as a means of up-dating communities on new developments and highlighting the urgency of the problems.”

Forum Chairman, Sean McCarthy and Skibbereen Floods Committee, Dan McCarthy, review the web-site, www.irishnationalfloodforum.com


Chapter 2

Key finDings arising from the forum.

The impact of flooding on local communities and individuals is both economic and human. The lack of a sense of security can be felt in the communities for years after the event.

One of the principal outcomes of this Forum is the need for more community responsibility and in-volvement in the whole flooding management issue.

The solution is a combination of actions at National, Local and Individual level. The range of organi-sations involved includes local communities, the insurance companies, the engineers, the HSE, the County Councils and the OPW. One of the outcomes of the Forum was to understand the procedures, priorities and language of each of these organisations.

To this end, we propose the Formation of an Irish National Flood Forum executive similar to the Na-tional Flood Forum, which are operating in the UK and other EU countries.

The Irish National Flood Forum would be the conduit between each of these organisations for the communities.

Forum organising committee of Michael Thornhill, Enda O’Donovan, Michael O’Brien, and Bryan Harris, with the Chairman of the Forum, Sean McCarthy.


Chapter 3

objeCtives of the ‘irish national flooD forum’.

The Irish National Flood Forum will be there to advise and support communities and individuals that flood or are at flood risk.The Forum is to aid the plight of flood victims that experience flooding by the establishment of com-munity led groups to mitigate their future risk of flooding. To ensure that all relevant organisations come together to secure effective and appropriate action to aid each community.

Proposed examples of the work of the Irish National Flood Forum would be as follows;-

1/ Where-ever remedial work has been completed; the Forum would liaise with the insurance industry to ensure adequate insurance is restored to the community. Example, if remedial work completed lowers the risk of a flood to a 1 in 100-year event, we would argue, that all the com-munity should have full, un-penalised, un-loaded flood cover.

2/ If some Local Authorities are not as pro-active in dealing with local flooding issues, a National Flood Forum which would be dealing with all Local and National bodies, would have first hand knowledge of short-comings and would be able to lobby such councils to improve their efforts in line with the OPW, and other Local Authorities.

3/ For victims of flooding, the Forum will formulate a designated help-line that will provide sup-port and empathy to victims.

Ensure the rapid deployment of post recovery advice and expertise to individuals and busi-nesses. This is a key factor to a speedy recovery according to the presentation of Dr. Julianna MacLeod, a Principal Clinical Psychologist with the HSE.

We propose that an Annual Forum, similar to the event in Skibbereen on the 20th November 2010, could be held annually, allowing all stakeholders to have the most up-to-date position of the various different organisations that manage flood events in Ireland.

We also propose that a National Executive for the Forum, be constituted, with directors to be selected from flooded communities across the country. We also envisage that this National Community Organisation would have a secretariat under the direc-torship of the National Executive.

,


Chapter 4

finanCe

We would envisage that the Irish National Flood Forum would be registered as a charity, with a num-ber of trustees from various different flooded communities around the country.

We would propose that funding for this National Community Organisation would come from a num-ber of sources, namely:-

A/ County Council Grant – a grant would be requested from each county that has flooding issues to aid the running costs of the National Forum; along the lines of the Agenda 21 funding or similar.

B/ Advertising – the website, www.IrishNationalFloodForum.com (which already exists), would provide up-to-date county-by-county information in relation to flooding issues, funding etc. Advertising space on this website would be another stream of funding for the organisation.

C/ Local fundraising.

The Forum will publish a full set of audited accounts at the Forum conference each year.


Compiled by :-Enda O’Donovan.

Co-ordinator of ‘Irish National Flood Forum’ in Skibbereen, under the direction of Skibbereen Floods Committee.

The National Flood Forum Working Group.

Enda O’Donovan, Bryan Harris, Michael O’Brien, and Michael Thornhill.

Skibbereen Floods Committee.

Chairman Dan McCarthyHon. Sec. Cathal O’DonovanTreasurer Michael ThornhillPRO Michael O’BrienCommittee Chrissie Crowley Bryan Harris Michael Lucitt Con McCarthy Jim McCullogh Enda O’Donovan Fiona O’Donovan Noel O’Driscoll Richard Roycroft Mark Salter-Townshend. Jim Wall.


appenDiCes.

a/ Copy of Forum presentation of Dr. Martin Mansergh, TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the OPW.

b/ Copy of Forum presentation of Mark Adamson, OPW.

c/ Copy of Forum presentation of Michael O’Brien.

d/ Copy of Forum presentation of Dr. Julianna MacLeod, HSE

e/ Copy of Forum presentation of Sean Kelleher, FBD Insurances.

f/ Copy of Forum presentation of Dr. Eamonn McKeogh, UCC.

Section of the public at the Forum.


presentation by

minister of state

at the

Department of finanCe,

with speCial responsibility for the

woffiCe of publiC worKs;

Dr. martin mansergh, t.D.


Address by Dr Martin Mansergh TD,Minister of State at the Office of Public Works.

on the occasion of the launch of the National Flood Forum,in the West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen, Co. Cork,

Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 3.30 pm

Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,Thank you for the very warm West Cork welcome I have received here this afternoon, especially from all the organising committee and the many McCarthys included on it. West Cork has always been one of my favourite areas of the country, and I came here very soon after my appointment to open an exhibition in the West Cork Arts Centre.

Last year’s exceptional flooding events galvanised you to organise this event. I am glad that yester-day’s anniversary was a dry and sunny day over most of the country. I am only too well aware, howe-ver, that danger is not far away, with quite serious flooding in Cornwall earlier this week, as well as a very serious event over the weekend over much of Belgium, which cost four lives. I remain thankful that luckily, from the bad flood in Newcastlewest in August 2008 through to the present, lives have been so far spared, but we cannot be complacent on that fact. When I visited Skibbereen in January of this year, I discussed with many townspeople, officials and public representatives the damage and difficulties caused.

My return visit provides me with an opportunity to update this community and this Forum on the very significant progress which has been taking place over the last twelve months. I would like to use this opportunity, therefore, to provide an overview of the last year since the November 2009 floods to illu-strate the strides the Office of Public Works is making to alleviate the scale and severity of the events of that time. I will come back to the specific difficulties of Skibbereen later.

When I was just appointed to OPW my brother Nicholas, who is a longstanding planning officer in this county, said to me: “You need to figure out quickly where the disasters are going to come from. In your case, it’s obvious: flooding”. How right he was. At the outset, I want to say that my highest priority in OPW has been in the area of flood risk management. As Minister of State in OPW, I spent much of last November and December visiting the many communities spread through nearly half the counties of the State, which suffered heavily from the effects of those flooding events. I answer in-numerable parliamentary questions, and take regular adjournment debates on local flooding issues, as well as going before the Joint Committee on Finance. When I was abroad for other reasons, in Cum-bria, the Netherlands, and China, I have taken the opportunity to meet the authorities, who deal with flood management, so that we can learn from practice in other jurisdictions.

One of my main challenges as Minister, particularly in extraordinarily difficult financial times, has been to ensure that there is an adequate budget for all the works that need to be done, and indeed, that within an OPW budget that overall has been cut to date by 35% since 2008, the money needed for a multiannual programme of flood relief works is provided. There has been no argument since last November from anyone in Government or the Civil Service disputing this priority. During my time as Minister, and this is as much due to the weather as to me, the flood relief programme has been brou-ght to a higher level, and I am confident that this effort will be sustained by my successors.

As Minister with responsibility for the national flood protection policy, I am acutely aware of the cru-cial need to drive forward the coordinated programmes established by the 2004 National Flood Policy Review and the transnational coordinated frameworks set out in the EU Floods Directive and Water


Framework Directive.

Central to the OPW’s approach to flood management is the programme for the production and com-pletion of Catchment Flood Risk Management Plans (CFRAMS) and associated flood mapping for all national catchments. OPW has been to the forefront in this respect, in that work had begun on Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Studies (CFRAMS) on the Lee, Suir and Dodder Catchments, and also in the Fingal East Meath area prior to the adoption of the requirements set down in the EU Floods Directive. The Lee CFRAM was the first to be published, and it was followed by a consultation process. This established approach is being extended to all major catchments in Ireland. The same comment was made in Belgium after the floods last weekend that protection work had to focus on river catchment areas rather than just individual locations.

The OPW considers effective stakeholder and public participation in the decision-making processes in flood risk management to be of vital importance. Indeed, in the past we have not proceeded with works, where there is strong local opposition. This approach is demonstrated in the transposition of the EU Floods Directive, where the requirements for public consultation that we have taken upon our-selves, and committed to, go significantly beyond the requirements of that Directive.

In line with our practice to date, the OPW will not only comply with the formal, statutory consultation requirements, but will fully involve stakeholders and the public in the CFRAM process through stake-holder groups and a series of public consultation events held at a local level, and we acknowledge and welcome the desire that you and other community groups around Ireland have to engage fully with OPW on this to arrive at the most effective and appropriate solutions to the flooding problems we face. This national flood management framework provides a rapidly improving and coordinated response to the flood management challenges we must meet over the coming years. I am happy that the National Flood Forum will be consulted as part of that stakeholder engagement.

My Office has transposed the EU Floods Directive, by way of Regulations, into national law, well ahead of many EU member States. These Regulations have appointed the OPW as the national Com-petent Authority under the Directive, and this has served to strengthen the hand of OPW in the coor-dination of an accelerated and proactive response to the challenges posed by last year’s floods. It will allow for a more directive role for OPW in the coordination and cohesion of national flood manage-ment and improvement in our flood prevention and alleviation measures. There have been a number of incidents this year in Cork, Galway and Tipperary, where another authority interposed to try and stop or delay works being carried out. I am glad to say that in each instance the obstacle was cleared. But everyone needs to understand that, while of course every effort will be made to accommodate the different legitimate interests involved in river management, with due regard to national and EU law, protection of homes, lives and livelihoods must be in the last analysis take priority.

OPW has also commissioned a strategic review of flood forecasting and warning in Ireland to look at how best to progress flood forecasting capabilities in flood prone areas. This review is intended to identify and assess the options for delivery of such a service in Ireland. From my experience in Clonmel, where such a system exists, I personally have no doubt whatever about the value of such a system, enabling people and businesses to make preparations, to take evasive action, and pre-empt at least some of the damage habitually caused by flooding.

On the basis of this Review, we will develop an appropriate and sustainable strategy (including consi-deration of the potential impacts of climate change) for flood forecasting and flood warning in Ireland. The results of the review are expected in 2011.


More recently, my Office has become a partner in the European Flood Alert System {EFAS}, which is a very promising experimental research programme involving nearly 30 European agencies, which aims to provide medium-term flood watches and flood alerts for weather conditions leading to floo-ding events. It provides some prospects for improving our forecasting ability for major fluvial events, and our ability, nationally and locally, both to anticipate and react to flooding challenges in the future.Since the transfer of coastal protection responsibilities to it, the OPW has been liaising closely with Local Authorities with a view to prioritising projects that require immediate measures or studies.Having expended some €676,000 in this area in 2009, I am happy to confirm that OPW is providing some €1.9m this year. This is primarily covering coastal minor works projects, targeted at the mitiga-tion of coastal flood and erosion risk.

Over the past five years, the Government has spent approximately €130 million on flood relief activi-ties. (A further €112 million was spent on maintenance of arterial drainage schemes and collection of hydrometric information.) The mitigation and reduction of flooding remains a top priority, not just of my Office and myself, but of the Government, which is entirely understandable, when one considers the devastation that floods wreaked on individuals, communities and businesses last winter.

The various risk assessment studies upon which the OPW has embarked will greatly assist in our abi-lity to identify areas most likely to be affected by flooding. These plans will inevitably call for further investment in flood defence measures.

While, of course, major defence schemes tend to attract most publicity and public attention, there are many areas of the country that are afflicted by severe localised flooding events that fall outside of the remit of the major flood defence programme. It is important that these areas receive an appropriate response from the State.

Towards this end, the OPW has prioritised a programme, which I first introduced in August 2009, of minor or small-scale flood defence works in local areas, which have been impacted severely by floo-ding.

Under the programme, a total of €12 million has so far been allocated to local authorities for works and studies this year, and further applications for funding are being received and assessed on an on-going and rolling basis. In total, 160 small-scale projects in 23 counties have been allocated funding. In allocating the funds, my Office continues to concentrate on areas, where there is a substantial risk to human life, property and infrastructure.

For Co. Cork in 2010, OPW has provided for a number of works which are being carried out in sup-port of the CFRAM programme in this region. In all some €1.84m is being spent across Cork in the planning and improvement of flood mitigation and flood defence measures.

In addition nearly €50m is being spent on major capital works across Cork County. This very signifi-cant investment on flood protection includes:

Mallow North (Complete) € 22.7MMallow South and West € 14MFermoy North € 9M for the first phase.Fermoy South Scheme It is expected that works will commence in the first quarter of 2011, and take 18-24 months to complete.

Cork City € 0.9M for repairs to Quay walls


Bandon Works could commence in 2012.

Lower Lee (Cork City) It is hoped that the design of a preferred scheme will be completed to-wards the end of 2011, which will be brought to public exhibition.

Midleton/Carrigaline/ Work is expected to commenceBallymakeera before the end of 2010.

For Skibbereen, as some of you no doubt are aware, we have funded an in-depth study of the River Ilen costing some €120,000, in order to develop a full-scale flood relief scheme for the town, similar to that I already announced in January for Bandon. As part of the flood study, OPW will ask the en-gineering consultants to identify as a matter of urgency any interim and minor works that can brought forward while the full study is underway, that would not subsequently have to be undone as part of a bigger scheme, and these will include the suggestions made locally and further brought to my atten-tion during an Adjournment debate in the Dáil last week, by Deputy Christy Sullivan.

We are now engaged in a comprehensive national data analysis exercise that will underpin the robust-ness of the flood management-planning programme, which we will complete by December 2015 in its first cycle.

Central to that programme will be the inputs of all the lead stakeholder agencies. In addition to their input, OPW is eager to engage with other stakeholders to ensure that the optimal level of information and expertise is applied to this extensive exercise. This applies at both local and national level. The profile of the National Flood Forum, which you have established here today, will provide an ideal conduit for knowledge and ideas from the level of the citizen and community to inform fully that pro-gramme.

There are two other issues, in which OPW have an interest, but not a direct responsibility, the question of what can be done in the case of a small handful of properties that cannot be economically protec-ted, mostly situated in Co. Galway, and the treatment of flood-prone areas by the insurance industry. These matters are engaging the attention of Government.

I followed with close interest, while I was attending a resumed Budget Council in Brussels last Mon-day, the news coverage of their floods. The question was asked whether a public authority could be sued, and the answer given was that in such exceptional circumstances it could always invoke force majeure. I reject the argument that, regardless of what the natural disaster may be, it should always be possible to find a public authority or agency to blame and then to sue. In a week, in which the IMF has arrived in Dublin, I will not be giving my support to calls that are designed to open up potentially new and limitless areas for compensation from the State and the taxpayer, no matter what private con-sultancy reports may be commissioned.

The question was also asked why a national emergency was not declared, and the answer was that it involved extra cumbersome procedures that might have hindered rescue work on the ground. I note with interest that in consultation with OPW the ESB are modifying their procedures on an experimen-tal basis at Iniscarra Dam, taking account of the experience last November.

You have made an excellent start here today, and I wish you every success in your endeavours. I will remain heavily interested in future developments in this are in future.


presentation by

marK aDamson of the opw.

Mr. Adamson is head of Flood Risk Management of the OPW.

National Flood Forum Report 17 1

18 National Flood Forum Report 2

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Eamonn McKeogh, UCC, Michael Thornhill, Skibbereen Floods Committee, Sean Kelly, MEP, Mark Adamson, OPW and Cathal O’Donovan, Skibbereen Floods Committee.


presentation by

mr. miChael o’brien.

Michael works in management in an agricultural Co-operative.

Michael has had over 40 years

experience of the impact of flooding events both in his family home, and

through his business life.



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ple

to

“hav

e th

eir s

ay” –

it w

elco

mes

par

tici

pati

on.

The

OPW

is c

urre

ntly

car

ryin

g m

ajor

floo

d

relie

f pro

gram

mes

aro

und

the

coun

try.


The

Skib

bere

en E

xper

ienc

e.Sk

ibbe

reen

has b

een

floo

ded

over

20

tim

es si

nce

the

1940

’s. T

he m

ost s

erio

us f

lood

s occ

urre

d in

1969

, 198

6 an

d tw

ice

in 2

009.

One

fam

ily in

Ski

bber

een

has b

een

floo

ded

16

times

in 2

5 ye

ars.

On

19th

Nov

200

9,21

0 pr

oper

ties

in S

kibb

eree

n

wer

e fl

oode

d. A

lmos

t 1 in

6 b

uild

ings

in to

wn.


The

Skib

bere

en E

xper

ienc

e-co

ntd

The

N71

Nat

iona

l Roa

d Ro

ute

was

flo

oded

in 3

sepa

rate

loca

tion

s.

Acc

ess t

o th

e lo

cal h

ospi

tal w

as s

ever

ely

rest

rict

ed.

The

2009

Flo

od in

Ski

bber

een

resu

lted

in o

ver

6 m

illio

n eu

ro in

dam

ages

.


To c

oncl

ude

-O

PW /

EU

Dir

ectiv

e.

Com

mun

itie

s and

stak

ehol

ders

-

Loca

l an

d C

oun

ty C

oun

cils

.

Emer

genc

y Se

rvic

es.

Floo

d C

omm

itte

es.

Volu

ntar

y O

rgan

isat

ions

.


Co-

ordi

nate

d lo

cal

Res

pons

e.



presentation by

Dr. juliana maCleoD of the hse.

Dr. MacLeod is able to give in-depth knowledge of the impact of

flooding events on communities, having seen first hand large

flooding events in Scotland.


1

Dr J

ulia

na C

Mac

Leod

Prin

cipa

l Clin

ical

Psy

chol

ogis

t H

SE


2

Out

line

Initi

al R

eact

ions

Sh

ort t

erm

Rea

ctio

nsLo

ng te

rm R

eact

ions

Imm

edia

te v

ersu

s lo

ng te

rm

need

s


3

Initi

al Im

pact

This

is d

epen

dent

on

such

fact

ors

as:

The

natu

re o

f the

eve

nt

The

seve

rity

of th

e ev

ent

Whe

ther

ther

e ar

e in

jurie

s or

dea

ths

The

exte

nt o

f the

dam

age

caus

ed

Indi

vidu

al c

ircum

stan

ces:

Whe

ther

you

are

an

obse

rver

, a h

elpe

r or t

he v

ictim

of

the

even

t.Ar

e yo

u al

one?

Is

you

r life

in d

ange

r?H

ave

you

a di

sabi

lity

that

mak

es it

diff

icul

t to

help

you

r se

lf, h

ave

you

child

ren

or o

ther

resp

onsi

bilit

ies

etc

Wha

t sup

port

and

hel

p is

ava

ilabl

e


4

Initi

al R

espo

nses

Pani

cFe

elin

g N

umb

Shoc

k: I

nact

ion

Feel

ing

Hel

ples

s an

d H

opel

ess

Una

ble

to p

lan

and

co-o

rdin

ate

even

ar

ound

bas

ic n

eeds

Ener

gise

d: F

ocus

may

be

on a

ctio

n


5

Initi

al N

eeds

Basi

c ne

eds:

Safe

tyW

arm

thSh

elte

rC

loth

ing

Food

Som

eone

els

e to

take

resp

onsi

bilit

y


6

Shor

t Ter

m P

sych

olog

ical

Effe

cts

Prob

lem

s w

ith s

leep

; fa

lling

asle

ep,

nigh

tmar

es, e

arly

w

akin

gFe

elin

g st

ress

ed a

nd

irrita

ble

Wor

ryin

gD

iffic

ulty

conc

entra

ting

Diff

icul

ty m

akin

g de

cisi

ons

Diff

icul

ty fu

nctio

ning

no

rmal

lyLa

ck o

f con

fiden

ceFo

rget

ful

Anxi

ety

Low

moo

dAn

ger


7

Long

term

issu

es/e

ffect

sIn

fluen

ced

by:

Indi

vidu

al e

xper

ienc

esLi

kelih

ood

of fu

ture

floo

ding

Insu

ranc

e is

sues

Cor

pora

te/c

omm

unity

resp

onse

ex:

non

e ve

rsus

su

ppor

t for

imm

edia

te is

sues

suc

h as

Food

Clo

thin

gH

ousi

ngR

epai

rsFi

nanc

ial s

ituat

ion


8

Loss

Loss

of l

ifeLo

ss o

f hom

eLo

ss o

f per

sona

l effe

cts

Loss

of m

emor

ies

Loss

of s

ense

of s

ecur

ityLo

ss o

f inc

ome


9

Poss

ible

Lon

g Te

rm E

ffect

sAn

xiet

y : a

void

ance

beh

avio

urs

Extra

vig

ilant

Dep

ress

ion

Slee

p di

sord

erPo

st-tr

aum

atic

effe

cts

Exac

erba

tion

of p

revi

ous

cond

ition

s


10

Key

Fact

ors

re S

peed

y R

ecov

ery

Com

ing

to te

rms

with

the

even

t, de

alin

g w

ith th

e em

otio

ns a

nd e

vent

ually

mov

ing

on.

Safe

ty; I

s th

ere

a hi

gh c

hanc

e of

the

even

t re

curri

ng?

Effe

cts

on p

erso

nal s

ecur

ity in

clud

ing

finan

cial

Insu

ranc

e: W

hat i

f the

re is

non

e?M

ovin

g ho

use:

Wha

t if y

ou c

anno

t?H

ow d

o yo

u m

ove

on in

life

if n

one

of th

ese

are

in y

our f

avou

r.


11

Post

Tra

umat

ic S

tress

This

is d

iagn

osed

if:

1)th

e fo

llow

ing

sym

ptom

s la

st o

ver a

mon

th

2)&

usua

lly o

ccur

s in

the

cont

ext o

f act

ual o

r th

reat

ened

dea

th o

r ser

ious

inju

ryIn

tens

e fe

ar, h

elpl

essn

ess/

horro

r. In

chi

ldre

n m

ay p

rese

nt a

s di

sorg

anis

ed o

r agi

tate

d be

havi

our.

Sym

ptom

s (a

) re-

expe

rienc

es, r

ecur

rent

, in

trusi

ve, d

istre

ssin

g, re

colle

ctio

ns o

f the

ev

ent

Rec

urre

nt d

istre

ssin

g dr

eam

s


12

Con

t.In

tens

e ps

ycho

logi

cal d

istre

ss a

t exp

osur

e to

cu

es th

at re

min

d on

e of

the

even

tPe

rsis

tent

avo

idan

ce o

f stim

uli

Pers

iste

nt s

ympt

oms

of in

crea

sed

arou

sal

Hyp

er v

igila

nce

Ange

r out

burs

tsEx

agge

rate

d st

artle

resp

onse

sSl

eep

diffi

culti

esC

ause

s co

nsid

erab

le d

istre

ss o

r im

pairm

ent i

n fu

nctio

ning


presentation by mr. sean Kelleher

of fbD insuranCes.

A senior manager with a national Insurance company, Sean deliv-

ers an educated view of how Insurance companies view flooding

events.


Floo

d In

sura

nce

An

Insu

rer’s

Per

spec

tive

Sean

Kel

lehe

r-FB

D In

sura

nce


Floo

d In

sura

nce

•How

Insu

ranc

e W

orks

•The

Flo

od Is

sue

•Flo

od C

osts

in Ir

elan

d•N

atur

e of

Flo

od c

over

•How

we

prov

ide

cove

r in

Irela

nd•T

he M

arke

t –de

velo

pmen

ts w

ithin

•How

Insu

rabl

e is

Flo

od?.

•Fut

ure

Insu

ranc

e av

aila

bilit

y.


ho

w i

nsu

ran

ce

Wo

rks

Insu

ranc

e Po

ol

Rei

nsur

ance

Pool

For

“Cat

astro

phe”

Ris

ks.

Prem

ium

s of

m

any

Insu

ranc

eC

ompa

nyEx

pens

es &

Pr

ofit

Cla

ims

of fe

w


ma

jor

flo

od

eve

nts

eu

rop

e 1

99

3

1993

Rhi

ne(G

erm

any/

Net

herla

nds)

, Ta

y (S

cotla

nd)

1994

Stra

thcl

yde

(Sco

tland

)

1995

Rhi

ne (G

erm

any/

Net

herla

nds)

1997

Ode

r (G

erm

any/

Pola

nd)

1998

Engl

and,

Wal

es, C

entra

l Eur

ope,

Sar

no(It

aly)

1999

Dan

ube,

Nor

ther

nAl

ps, D

enm

ark-

5m C

oast

al s

torm

sur

ge

2000

Engl

and,

Wal

es (t

wic

e),S

witz

erla

nd, I

taly

2001

Engl

and

(twic

e), W

isla

(Pol

and)

2002

Engl

and

& W

ales

, Dub

lin, D

anub

e &

Elbe

Cen

tral E

urop

e (1

00

Dea

ths)


ma

jor

flo

od

eve

nts

eu

rop

e 1

99

3

2003

Rho

nein

Fra

nce

2004

Cor

nwal

l, W

ales

, Der

ry

2005

Cor

nwal

l, C

onw

y Va

lley,

Der

ry

2006

Dan

ube

(Hig

hest

rive

r lev

el s

ince

189

5)Al

ps, R

oman

ia a

nd

Blac

k se

a (3

9 de

aths

)

2007

Mal

ta, E

ngla

nd

2008

Irela

nd,E

ngla

nd (a

ugus

t rai

nfal

l)

2009

Irela

nd, E

ngla

nd,I

taly

2010

Cor

nwal

l, Be

lgiu

m (3

dea

d)


Insu

red

Floo

d co

sts

Wor

ldw

ide

over

the

past

40

yea

rs

2009

: €70

billi

on


flo

od

Co

sts

in

ire

lan

d

Nov

embe

r 200

9 -€

244

milli

onAu

gust

200

8 -€

96 m

illion

Oct

ober

200

4 -€

38 m

illion

Nov

embe

r 200

2 -€

50 m

illion

Febr

uary

200

2 -€

37 m

illion

Nov

embe

r 200

0 –

€51m

illion


imp

ac

t o

f th

e f

loo

ds

Insu

ranc

e Po

olPo

ol s

ize

mus

t inc

reas

e

Re-

insu

ranc

eIn

tern

atio

nal P

ool

For “

Cat

astro

phe”

Lo

sses

Prem

ium

s of

m

any

Insu

ranc

eC

ompa

nyEx

pens

es &

Pr

ofit

Cla

ims

of fe

w

1.Fo

rmer

“Cat

astro

phe”

loss

es n

ow o

pera

tiona

l loss

es2.

New

Cat

astro

phe

Loss

es a

re m

uch

bigg

er –

Cat

astro

phe

Pool

mus

t als

o in

crea

se

Rei

nsur

ance

Pool

For

“Cat

astro

phe”

Ris

ks.

Insu

ranc

e Po

ol


Nat

ure

of F

lood

Insu

ranc

e

•Diff

icul

t to

pred

ict r

isk

•If f

lood

occ

urs,

then

mul

tiple

pro

pert

ies

effe

cted

•If fl

oodi

ng o

ccur

s, th

en c

ost o

f cla

ims

very

hig

hly

both

indi

vidu

ally

an

d co

llect

ivel

y

•In

man

y co

untr

ies

cove

rs u

nava

ilabl

e

•Sta

te in

volv

emen

t as

insu

rer o

r rei

nsur

er is

com

mon

.


Floo

d In

sura

nce

in Ir

elan

d

•Pr

ovid

ed b

y Pr

ivat

e In

sura

nce

Mar

ket

•Av

aila

ble

to in

exc

ess

of 9

7% o

f all

prop

ertie

s

•Pr

ovid

ed a

s st

anda

rd o

n al

l Pro

pert

y Po

licie

s.

•A

llow

s cr

oss

subs

idis

atio

n be

twee

n Fl

ood

risk

and

that

for o

ther

pe

rils.

•A

llow

s th

e sh

arin

g of

risk

bet

wee

n th

e go

od a

nd th

e po

or.

•Flo

od in

sura

nce

avai

labi

lity

take

n fo

r gra

nted


Mar

ket P

ress

ures

& D

evel

opm

ents

New

Insu

rer

Solv

ency

Reg

ulat

ions

•Reg

ulat

ions

pro

vide

new

mec

hani

sms

to c

alcu

late

ca

pita

l ade

quac

y.

•Req

uire

men

ts d

eter

min

ed b

y ho

w th

e in

sura

nce

com

pany

sel

ects

and

und

erw

rites

its

risks

.

•New

Und

erw

ritin

g Te

chno

logi

es•F

lood

map

s &

Geo

Und

erw

ritin

g To

ols



ho

w i

nsu

rab

le is f

loo

d?

Low

risk

.1:

200

retu

rn p

erio

d

(.5%

cha

nce

of lo

ss in

any

gi

ven

year

)

Mod

erat

e Ri

skBe

twee

n 1:

75 a

nd 1

:100

(Bet

wee

n 1%

and

1.3

%)

Sign

ifica

ntD

iffic

ult t

o in

sure

thes

e ri

sks

with

out

engi

neer

ed F

lood

Pro

tect

ion

solu

tions

im

plem

ente

d

1:75

retu

rn p

erio

d

In e

xces

s of

1.3

%

Sour

ce: T

he A

BI/ D

EFR

A ag

reem

ent 2

008-

2013


Futu

re F

lood

Insu

ranc

e av

aila

bilit

y.

Dep

ende

ncie

s-A

bilit

y of

Insu

rers

to g

ener

ate

retu

rn-C

limat

e ch

ange

-Clo

ser p

artic

ipat

ion

betw

een

all s

take

hold

ers

for s

usta

inab

le m

anag

emen

t.

In s

ome

area

s co

ver i

s no

t ava

ilabl

e pe

ndin

g im

plem

enta

tion

of p

hysi

cal f

lood

pro

tect

ion.


presentation by

Dr. eamon mCKeogh of uCC.

A senior lecturer in UCC, Dr. McKeogh has over 20years knowl-

edge of Flooding issues in the south of Ireland.


1

ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING

HYD

ROLO

GYan

dRIVER

HYD

ROLO

GYan

dRIVER

HYD

RAULICS

HYD

RAULICS

Dr.Eamon

McKeo

ghDr.Eamon

McKeo

ghFloo

dStud

yGroup

Floo

dStud

yGroup

UCC

UCC

Novem

ber20

10Novem

ber20

10


2

Hydrology

RiverHydraulics

Compu

terMod

elling

Case

Stud

ies


3

HydrologicCycle

HydrologicCycle

Hyd

rologicCy

cleistheclosed

loop

throughwhich

water

travelsas

itmoves

from

oneph

ase,or

surface,to

anothe

r.


4

Hydrology

Hydrology

Hydrology:

thesciencethat

dealswith

theoccurren

ce,circulatio

n,distribu

tion,and

prop

ertie

sof

thewater

oftheearthandtheearth'satmosph

ere.

Factors:

Rainfallam

ount

andstorm

distribu

tion

Drainagearea

size,shape

andorientation

Groun

dcoverandsoiltype

Slop

esof

terrainandstream

channe

l(s)

Anteced

entm

oisturecond

ition

Storagepo

tential(e.g.flo

odplains,pon

ds,w

etland

s,reservoirs,

channe

l(s),etc.)

Watershed

developm

entp

oten

tial;and

Characteristicsof

localdrainagesystem


5

Engine

eringHydrology

Engine

eringHydrology

Engine

eringHydrology

SurfaceWater

Hydrology

Groun

dwater

Hydrology

•Rural

Urban


6

Definitions

Engine

eringHydrology

concerne

dwith

thequ

antitativerelatio

nshipbe

tween

rainfalland'ru

noff'(i.e.passage

ofwater

onthesurfaceof

theEarth)

and,inparticular,w

iththemagnitude

andtim

evariations

ofruno

ff.Flowvariationwithtime.

Designe

rmuste

stim

aterainfall,rainfallintensity

etc.for

“DesignEven

ts”

DesignEven

tssimilartoade

sign

load

instructuralen

gine

ering


11

ENGINEERINGHYD

ROLO

GY

ENGINEERINGHYD

ROLO

GY

Rainfall

RainfallAna

lysis

Ana

lysis


12

Somede

finitions

Somede

finitions

Intensity

=measure

ofqu

antityof

rainfallinagiventim

ee.g.mm

per

hour

Duration=pe

riod

oftim

edu

ring

which

rainfalls

Freq

uency=refersto

theexpe

ctationthat

agivende

pthof

rainfallwillfall

inagiventim

e.Such

anam

ount

ofrainfallmay

beexceed

edor

equalled

inagivennu

mbe

rofd

aysor

years

Arealextent

=area

over

which

apo

int’srainfallcanbe

heldto

apply


13

Ana

lysis

Ana

lysis

Analysisof

Rainfall

ThreemainMetho

dsArithmetic

Thiessen

Polygons

Isoh

yetalM

etho

d


22

ENGINEERINGHYD

ROLO

GY

ENGINEERINGHYD

ROLO

GY

Catchm

entCh

aracteristics

Catchm

entCh

aracteristics


23

Catchm

entC

haracteristics

Agood

startin

gpo

intfor

aqu

antitativeassessmen

tofrun

offisto

consider

theph

ysicalprocessesoccurringinthehydrologicalcycleand

with

inthecatchm

ent.


24

Catchm

entC

haracteristics


25

Catchm

entC

haracteristics

Such

arepresen

tatio

nisreferred

toas

aconcep

tualmod

el.Ife

quations

defin

ingthestorages

andflo

wscanbe

foun

d,amathe

maticalcatchm

ent

mod

elcanbe

constructed.

Using

thisqu

alita

tivepicture,aseto

fcharacteristicsmay

beprop

osed

which

determ

inetherespon

seof

thecatchm

enttorainfall.Th

esemight

includ

ethefollowing:

(a)catchmen

tarea:

(b)soiltype(s)andde

pth(s)

(c)vegetationcover

(d)stream

slop

esandsurfaceslop

es(e)rocktype

(s)a

ndarea(s)

(f)d

rainagene

twork(naturalandman

made)

(g)lakes

andreservoirs

(h)impe

rmeableareas(e.g.roads,buildings,etc.).


26

Catchm

entC

haracteristics

SoilMoistureDeficit(SMD):thisistheam

ount

ofrainne

eded

tobring

thesoilmoistureconten

tbackto

fieldcapacity.

Fieldcapa

city

(SMD=0)istheam

ount

ofwater

thesoilcanho

ldagainst

gravity

i.e.the

maxim

umwater

apo

tplant

canbe

watered

andno

tleak

water.N

egativeSM

Dindicatesawater

surplus,which

willbe

draine

dover

timethrougheither

infiltrationor

overland

flowor

both.

Saturation

isreache

dwhe

nSM

D=

10mm,i.eawater

surplusof

10mm.

Positiv

eSM

Disbe

lowfie

ldcapacityandraincaninfiltrateto

thecapacity

oftheSM

Dam

ount.Inasaturatedsoilallofthe

availablesoilpo

resare

fullof

water,but

water

willdrainou

toflarge

poresun

dertheforceof

gravity

.

Conclusions and Goals from the National Flood Forum

Documents

irish national flood

national flood forum

forum day

flood victims

flood event works

opw opw flood risk management

presentation of

flooding problem