Soft engineering = involved adapting to a river and learning to live with it → is cheaper , but often less effective
than hard engineering
● Floodplain zoning
● Flood warnings/preparation
● Planting trees
● River restoration
Floodplain zoning:
→ Floodplain zoning = land in river valley is used in
such way to minimise impact of flooding
● Local authorities use maps to produce flood
risk assessments and guide decisions
regarding new building applications
● Land is used sustainably by having different
uses parallel to river
● More permanent structures are installed
further away from river without substantial
costs, should flooding occur
● Restricts building on active floodplain
Flood warnings/preparation:
● EA, agencies, district councils and
Water/Highway Authorities coordinate
efforts to devise and carry out action plans
for areas at risk
● Distinct roles identified for emergency
services/armed forces/voluntary groups
● Meteorological office analyses data from 200
weather stations
● Pass data onto EA who use it with river data
to provide flood alerts
● EA provide flood map website, 3 day flood
forecast and personal warnings
Planting trees:
● Planting shelter belts of trees across
slopes/woodlands in floodplains → intercept
water and take it up through their roots
River restoration:
→ River restoration = when a river that has previously
been hard engineered , is restored back to its
original/natural channel
● Floodplain lowered to create a floodwater
storage area
● Wildflower meadows and avenues of trees
planted
⇒ Advantages and disadvantages of soft engineering