The Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) is a need of the Flood Risk Regulations (2009). Covering many principles of the Flood and Water Management Act (2010). Under the Act, Cornwall Council is Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) within Cornwall. Under the Regulations, all LLFAs in England and Wales were required to submit a PFRA to the Environment Agency by 22 June 2011.
About the PFRA
The PFRA is a high level screening exercise. Used to locate areas where the local flooding risk is significant and warrants further examination. The scope is to consider past flooding and possible future flooding from local flood sources. Most specifically from surface water and for flooding from Ordinary Watercourses. It does not address flooding from designated Main Rivers or the sea unless there are interactions with local sources of risk. The PFRA identifies priority local flood risk communities within the LLFA’s jurisdiction. This is done by considering both past flooding and potential future flooding. PFRA preparation is the first step toward Cornwall’s local flood risk strategy development. Providing an evidence base and identification and prioritisation of local flood risk areas.
The essence of the PFRA is fairly prescriptive. With guidance to its content laid out by the Environment Agency. But, the substance of the PFRA should reflect local issues and characteristics. It consists of a report and associated spreadsheets. The spreadsheets designed by the Environment Agency allow LLFA submitted information to be assimilated and collated. It is then submitted by the Environment Agency to the European Commission. These spreadsheets are in Annexes 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the PFRA . PFRA preparation is one of several LLFAs responsibilities. The PFRA details other responsibilities Cornwall Council has to fulfil as LLFA.
The PFRA sets out arrangements for partnership working and data sharing. Particularly between the Council, the Environment Agency and South West Water.
It considers the types of local flooding prevalent in Cornwall. As well as reviewing historic flooding. A chronology of major flood events in Cornwall is provided as Annex 5 of the PFRA.
Potential future flooding and its consequences are considered. Mainly based on surface water flood risk using a method and flood risk indicators set by the Environment Agency. A detailed analysis of potential surface water flood risk in Cornwall is in Annex 6 of the PFRA. This analysis indicates there are no Indicative Flood Risk Areas in Cornwall. As defined by the national threshold of 30,000 people at risk of surface water flooding. With no Proposed Flood Risk Areas as defined within the guidelines are recommended.
A review of communities associated with existing flood risks is in Annex 7 of the PFRA. These identify locations where flooding is locally an issue. But where it falls below national Indicative Flood Risk Area thresholds. Further work will be undertaken to address local flood risk in these priority locations. As part of the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.
Accessing the PFRA
The below links will open in a new window.
- PFRA Report: The main text
- Annexes 1, 2 and 3: Past Floods, Future Floods and Indicative Flood Risk Areas
These Preliminary Assessment Report Spreadsheets are based on set templates. They are for submission to the Environment Agency and Europe.
The past floods data in Annex 1 is also discussed in Chapter 4.2 of the main text. The future floods data in Annex 2 is also discussed in Chapter 5 of the main text. No Indicative Flood Risk Areas are identified for Cornwall. Therefore, none have been recorded in Annex 3.
Provided by the Environment Agency to aid in the reviewing of PFRA submissions.
This provides a compilation of past flood events and episodes in Cornwall.
Details surface water flood risk analysis. Used to identify any Indicative or Proposed Flood Risk Areas. It assesses the risks to local communities associated with surface water flooding.
