Volume 3 - 1 Pluvial FRM Report - Final

EU Interreg IVB FloodResilienCity Project
Final Report – Dublin
Volume Three
Pluvial Flood Risk Management

Document control sheet BPP 04 F8
Client: Dublin City Council

Project: EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project Job No: 32102500
Final Report - Dublin
Document Title: Volume Three: Pluvial Flood Risk Management
Originator Checked by Reviewed by Approved by

NAME NAME NAME NAME
Ronnie Falconer & Kelly Kasperczyk Kelly Kasperczyk

Kelly Kasperczyk
Kelly Kasperczyk & Ronnie Falconer & Ronnie Falconer
DATE SIGNATURE SIGNATURE SIGNATURE SIGNATURE
October 2012
Document Status: Issue to Dublin City Council
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EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Volume Three– Pluvial Flood Risk Management
CONTENTS
Volume Three Pluvial Flood Risk Management
PREFACE i
GLOSSARY iv
ABBREVIATIONS x
SECTION 1 SPATIAL PLANNING AND BUILDING REGULATIONS 1

1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Review of Existing Policy Documents for Relevance to Pluvial Flooding 3
1.3 European and International Practice 17
1.4 Proposed Policy Elements 19
SECTION 2 FLOOD RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION MEASURES 24

2.1 Introduction 24
2.2 Review of Relevant Guidance 26
2.3 Scope and Application of Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and
Adaptation Measures 31
Appendices
V3-A – Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations
V3-B – Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures

PREFACE
Dublin FloodResilienCity (FRC) Technical Report Volume Structure
This technical report, ‘Volume Three: Pluvial Flood Risk Management’ is one of five
Volumes which accompany the Dublin FRC Project Non Technical Summary. The Non
Technical Summary provides the background to the Dublin FRC Project and a summary of
each of the technical report Volumes. These Volumes comprise:
Volume One Rainfall and Forecasting
Volume Two City-Wide Pluvial Flood Risk Assessment
Volume Three Pluvial Flood Risk Management
Volume Four Detailed Pluvial Flood Risk Assessment of Pilot Areas
Volume Five Pluvial Flood Alerting and Warning System Integration
Each Volume should be read in conjunction with the other Volumes as sections within each
may be cross-referenced to other Volumes. Figure P1 illustrates both the one-way and two-
way relationships between the report Volumes, with arrow size indicating relationship scale.
The extent of the Dublin FRC Project study area is shown in Figure P2 which also indicates
the five administrative areas within Dublin City.
Figure P1: Dublin FRC Technical Report Volume Relationships
Figure P2: Dublin FloodResilienCity Project Study Area

Final Report – Dublin i
Volume Three Structure
Section 1. This Section provides an introduction to Spatial Planning and Building

Regulations relevant to Pluvial Flood Risk Management. It reviews a wide range of existing
local and national policy and guidance documents, as well as other studies and plans relevant
to pluvial flood risk management in Dublin. It also considers wider European guidance and
practice to inform the development of an appropriate Code of Practice covering Spatial
Planning and Building Regulations, which is included as Appendix V3-A.
Section 2. This Section provides an introduction to Flood Resilience and Adaptation

Measures suitable for managing surface and overland flows, and creating resilience in
existing buildings. It identifies a wide range of national, European and international guidance
documents to inform the development of a Code of Practice covering Flood Resilience and
Adaptation Measures, which is included as Appendix V3-B. Recommended measures are
grouped under three categories:
• Generic and Early Win Measures;
• Community Flood Resilience Measures; and
• Site Specific Measures.
Appendix V3-A: Code of Practice 1 Spatial Planning and Building Regulations outlines
how pluvial flood hazard definition in addition to pluvial flood risk assessment and
management can be integrated into the application of sustainable planning and building
control activities in Dublin City for both new and modified/extended developments.
Appendix V3-B: Code of Practice 2 Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures outlines
measures suitable for managing surface and overland flows and creating resilience in existing
buildings. The Code of Practice outlines how responsibility for these measures is shared
between Government agencies / Municipality, developers and the community. In evaluating
appropriate measures, opportunities for benefits additional to flood risk mitigation are sought
including amenity enhancement, biodiversity enhancement and carbon
reduction/sequestration. Recommendations for providing information to ‘at risk’ properties to
enable effective resilience and resistance measures to be retro-fitted or included in a new
property are also made.
Volume Three informs the following Dublin FRC technical report Volumes:
Volume One - Rainfall and Forecasting:

• Some of the flood control mechanisms summarised in Volume Three, Code of Practice 2
Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures (Appendix V3-B) can support the flood
forecasting and warning systems discussed in Volume One.
Volume Four - Detailed Pluvial Flood Risk Assessment of Pilot Risk Areas:
• Code of Practice 1 Spatial Planning and Building Regulations (Appendix V3-A) outlines
the processes through which the Dublin FRC modelling and mapping outputs can be
used to facilitate spatial planning and pluvial flood risk assessment.
• Code of Practice 2 Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures (Appendix V3-B) provides
a manual of pluvial flood risk management measures ('corrective measures') which was
used to inform the modelling appraisal of corrective measures in the Pilot Areas as
outlined in Volume Four.

Final Report – Dublin ii
Volume Five - Pluvial Flood Alerting and Warning System Integration:

• Some of the flood control mechanisms summarised in Volume Three Code of Practice 2
Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures (Appendix V3-B) can support the
recommended technologies for pluvial flood alerting and warning system integration as
outlined in Volume Five.
Sustainable Pluvial Flood Risk Management
Both Codes of Practice presented in this Volume support Dublin City Council’s established
approach to sustainable flood risk management through adoption of the 4As Model –
Awareness; Alleviation; Avoidance; and Assistance.
This model represents an integrated approach to sustainable flood risk management which
has been developed and tested by the Scottish Government. Specifically, the strengthening of
spatial planning and building regulations through Code of Practice 1 seeks to ‘Avoid’
inappropriate development in areas likely to be vulnerable to pluvial flooding. Where this is not
possible, and particularly for retrofitting measures in areas which are already developed, Code
of Practice 2 provides guidance on ways to increase resistance and resilience to pluvial
flooding – the ‘Alleviation’ component of the 4As model. ‘Awareness’ raising is an essential
precursor for both elements and ‘Assistance’ is appropriate should flooding occur.
Through a more recent initiative ‘Beyond the 4As,’ Dublin City Council considers other specific
elements in the overall sustainable flood risk management process – the ‘7As’:
• Awareness raising (politicians and policy makers, professionals, and the public)
at strategic level; and at process level:
• Assessment of existing and emerging hazards;
• Analysis of the resulting risks;
• Avoidance of the known risks where possible;
• Alleviation of the unavoidable risk where practical;
• Action in response to the residual risk: and
• Assistance in recovery from the impacts.

Final Report – Dublin iii
GLOSSARY
Aggregated Micro-Storage A corrective/mitigation measure used for storing surface water in hard standing areas in built
up areas (car parks, roof areas, sports facilities). This measure has the potential to maximize benefit from many relatively small storage areas
and optimize the control of this storage in real time.
Annual Exceedance This is the technical term used to express the likelihood, or chance, of a particular event (e.g. flood or rainfall) being equaled or exceeded in
Probability (AEP) any one year. It is usually expressed as a percentage or a ratio i.e. the 10% AEP event or 1 in 10 AEP. In technical terms the rarity of an
event is sometimes also referred to as a return period i.e. the 10% AEP event is equivalent to an event having a 10-year return period, but the
use of return periods can be confusing to the wider public.
Attenuate Providing temporary storage or other measures designed to reduce the volume of surface runoff which could cause flooding. A particular
focus of attenuation is on reducing peak flows through an area.
Blue Roof A form of roof which is designed to capture water, most typically rainfall.
Breakline Two dimensional geographical features (railway lines, rivers, roads and canals) which are represented in the modeling software as lines that
may have a significant impact on the propagation of the rainfall runoff.
Catchment A catchment area or drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water or fluvial flow converges to a single point; usually the
exit of the basin, where the waters join another water body, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or open sea.
Climate Change Long term variations in global temperature and weather patterns caused by natural and human actions.
Climate Fluctuation Variations in global temperature and weather patterns.
Coastal Flooding Coastal flooding that results from a combination of high tides and stormy conditions. If low atmospheric pressure coincides with a high tide, a
tidal surge may happen which can cause serious flooding.
Contour Polygon A GIS based technique for assessing topographical data and identifying hazardous depressions with regard to potential flooding.
Screening (CPS)
Convective Available A measure of the amount of energy available for convection (which can lead to intense rainfall).
Potential Energy (CAPE)
Convective Rainfall Convective rainfall originates from convective clouds and falls with rapidly changing intensity over a small area for a relatively short period of
time.
Conveyance Flow This is essentially the carrying capacity of a surface or culverted watercourse or a below-ground sewer or drainage system. It is significantly
influenced by the roughness of the river or stream bed, or the piped system. Debris carried along in the flow and/or obstructions can reduce
conveyance flow.
In relation to sewer design capacity the conveyance capacity of urban drainage networks is usually such that they will flow full in a 1 in 5 AEP
(20%) rainfall event. In a more extreme event they will usually surcharge up to road level and no more flow will enter through road gullies. In a
1 in 10 AEP (10%) rainfall event and events greater than this severe road flooding and property flooding may result.
Critical Infrastructure Infrastructure (assets) essential for the functioning of society and the economy related to electrical generation, telecommunication and public
health (i.e. hospitals, power stations, treatment works).

Final Report – Dublin iv
Culvert A channel or pipe that carries a watercourse below the level of the ground.
Dam extreme operation / Some reservoirs hold large volumes of water above ground level. Although the safety record for reservoirs is excellent, it is not impossible
failure flooding that a dam could fail. This would result in a large volume of water being released very quickly.
Debris Factor A variable used to quantify hazard which represents the fact that deep, fast flowing flood waters might mobilize loose objects and move them
along flow paths thus increasing flood hazard.
Department for DEFRA is the UK government department responsible for policy and regulations on the environment, food and rural affairs
Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Depth Duration Frequency Rainfall depth-duration-frequency (DDF) curves describe rainfall depth as a function of duration for given rainfall probabilities.
(DDF)
Depth Gauge A gauge used to measure the depth of accumulated rainfall.
Digital Elevation Model A digital elevation model which shows topographic information including buildings and vegetation.
(DEM)
Digital Terrain Model A digital terrain model which show topographic information excluding buildings and vegetation.
(DTM)
Direct Rainfall approach A hydraulic modeling approach which involves the application of rainfall hyetographs representative of storm events to active model cells
within a two dimensional domain.
Drainage Infiltration and In relation to sewer and drainage systems these terms are often used to describe seepage into or out of a drainage system through joints and
Exfiltration cracks in the pipework. However for the purposes of this Pluvial Flood Study they are used to describe that portion of surface water flow that
is carried into the below-ground system (infiltration) mainly via the roadside gullies, and the portion of flow which floods out from the below-
ground system when capacity is exceeded (exfiltration).
Dry Mapping Digital mapping of potential pluvial hotspots using the Rolling Ball and Contour Polygon Screening Techniques. This mapping is based on
topography (LiDAR) and does not include any hydraulic or hydrological assessments. It is usually applied for preliminary assessments.
Exceedance Flow This is normally used to describe the flow which exceeds the capacity of the below-ground sewerage or drainage system to carry stormwater
flows. The Exceedance Flow is the portion that surcharges and floods at the ground surface and flows along the surface, often together with
direct runoff from pluvial flooding.
External Resistance Measures designed to keep flood water out of properties and businesses (i.e. flood guards). Resistance measures can be fitted to prevent
Measures surface water entering buildings. Measures can be fitted to new properties or retrofitted to existing properties
External Stakeholder Stakeholders considered to be involved or affected but not as directly integrated into existing arrangements for flood risk management and
risk identification.
Extreme Rainfall Defined within this study as rainfall that leads to (or is likely to lead to) pluvial flooding. Whilst all rainfall is, by definition, pluvial, it is only
intense rainfall events that give rise to pluvial flooding
Federated Emergency A FERP is designed to harmonize federal emergency response efforts with those of the provinces/territorial governments, non-governmental
Response Plan (FERP) organizations, and the private sector.
Flood The temporary covering by water of land not normally covered with water

Final Report – Dublin v
Flood Alert Dissemination to interested parties of an early indication that a flood event exceeding a critical threshold is possible and a warning may be
given.
Flood Defence Infrastructure used to protect an area against floods such as floodwalls and embankments; they are usually designed to a specific standard of
protection (design standard).
Flood Depth Estimation The Flood Depth Estimation System (FDES) is a GIS based tool (which Jacobs has developed) which allows for the calculation of flood
System (FDES) damages based on the depth outputs from the TUFLOW modeling software.
Flood Forecast The prediction of a flood event through the application of measured and/or modeled scenarios.
Flood Hazard The potential for a flood to cause damage or harm – usually shown as the extent of flooding for a flood with a specific probability or likelihood.
A flood hazard does not necessarily lead to harm unless there is a ‘receptor’ such as people or property that could be harmed or damaged.
Flood Information and The Flood Information and Warning System is a web based GIS orientated application for the monitoring of forecasts and aiding the
Warning System (FLIWAS) implementation of Emergency Plans and evacuation plans.
Flood Risk Flood Risk in flood risk management is defined as a product of the probability or likelihood of a flood occurring and the consequence of the
flood, for example damage to property or harm to people.
Flood Studies Report The Flood Studies Report, published in 1975, is used in relation to rainfall events in the United Kingdom. It has since been replaced by the
(FSR) Flood Estimation Handbook.
Flood Warning The resultant dissemination of a forecast to a body of interested parties in order that they may prepare for the flood event with the aim of
reducing its impact. Usually given once a critical threshold has been reached and involves taking action.
Flow Paths Surface water flow paths with supporting gradient and accumulation information.
Fluvial Flooding Flooding resulting from water levels exceeding the bank level of a river. Also known as river flooding, this occurs when a watercourse cannot
accommodate the volume of water draining into it from the surrounding land. It is generally infrequent, but flooding can occur rapidly or over a
long duration depending on the nature of the upstream catchment. Watercourses are more likely to be overwhelmed when rainwater cannot
be absorbed into the land onto which it falls. It might be very steep, water logged, or built over. Rapid melting of snow also leads to river
flooding in some cases. Also, obstructions such as collapsed buildings/walls can exacerbate flooding. Flooding from small urban
watercourses can be a particular problem in urban areas even though the catchment area may be small. Impermeable ‘sealed’ surfaces in
built up areas can result in increased and more rapid runoff to these small watercourses such that flows in the watercourse can build up
rapidly and result in flash flooding (an extreme form of fluvial flooding). Urban watercourses are often culverted over long sections and the
entrances to these culverts can often be flooding ‘hotspots’. These watercourses are also often constricted in places resulting in bottlenecks
which can make flooding worse. Debris, both natural and man-made also often accumulates in urban watercourses which not only constricts
the watercourse but can accumulate at culvert screens and even block these screens in extreme cases.
Food and Agriculture The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international
Organization of the United efforts to defeat hunger, serving both developed and developing countries.
Nations (FAO)
GeoDirectory A property database showing locations of properties in Ireland. Attribute information includes data such as property number, street name and
coordinate information.
Geographic Information A geographic information system integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of
Systems (GIS) geographically referenced information.

Final Report – Dublin vi
Greater Dublin Strategic The GDSDS was a study commissioned in June 2001 to carry out a strategic analysis of the existing foul and
Drainage Study (GDSDS) surface water systems in the local authority areas of Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire-
Rathdown and the adjacent catchments in Counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow
Groundwater Flooding Groundwater flooding occurs when water levels in the ground rise above the ground surface. It is most likely to occur in areas underlain by
permeable rocks, or alluvial/coastal deposits. These can be extensive, regional aquifers, such as chalk or sandstone, or may be locally
confined deposits such as sand or river gravels in valley bottoms underlain by less permeable rocks.
Gulley An artificial hole, cavity or pit in a gutter which is covered with a grating and normally conveys surface water to a drainage system.
Gulley Monitor A monitor used for measuring water levels within gullies.
Hydraulic Modelling Computer software based method of modeling the flow of water in rivers and drainage systems.
Hydraulic Roughness A means of accounting for the effect on the resistance to flow of surface materials, irregularities, obstructions and vegetation.
Hydro-meteorological A method for monitoring/forecasting conditions associated with flooding.

Monitoring
InfoWorks CS InfoWorks CS is a modeling software package which is used to undertake hydrological modeling of the urban water cycle. Other applications
include urban flooding and pollution prediction and the modeling of water quality and sediment transport throughout a network.
Internal Resilience Measures designed to reduce the impact of water that enters property and businesses. This can involve ensuring that the walls, floors, and
Measures fixtures are less damaged by water (or not at all), and also re-organising the house so that valuable and costly items (including service meters
and the boiler) are above the level of the flood.
Internal Stakeholder Stakeholders currently participating in the risk management and risk identification processes.
Interreg (IVB) Community initiative that aims to stimulate interregional cooperation in the European Union. It is a financial instrument of the European
Union's Cohesion Policy. It funds projects which support transnational cooperation. The aim is to find innovative ways to make the most of
territorial assets and tackle shared problems of Member States, regions and other authorities.
Isohyets A line joining points of equal precipitation on a map.

Light detection and A high Resolution digital terrain model showing elevation/topographic information. Can be supplied in either "filtered" (buildings and
Ranging (LiDAR) vegetation filtered out) or "unfiltered" (buildings and vegetation have not been stripped out).
Mass-balance Equation In analysing stormwater events it is convenient to consider the ‘mass balance relationship’ which can be expressed in the form:
Total Rain = Exceedance Flow (surface – as defined above)
+ Conveyance Flow (below-ground – as defined above)
+ Ground Infiltration (rainfall infiltration into sub-soils, gravels and bedrock)
+ Detained Infiltration (rainfall infiltration detained in storage systems)
Natural Infiltration Precipitation that soaks into subsurface soil and strata naturally.
No Flow Condition A parameter used in hydraulic models to stop flow from passing through an area or node. For example where flood defenses are present, a
"No Flow” condition can be applied to a model.

Final Report – Dublin vii
NOAH An Interreg IIIB organization for research in to the rapid transfer of data with respect to flood prevention. The NOAH partnership aims to
strengthen the transfer of information between relevant EU funded projects, experts and public institutions, improve the knowledge base and
transfer between water management authorities in order to strengthen transnational cooperation on these issues.
Numerical Weather A form of weather prediction which utilises mathematical models of the ocean and atmosphere.
Prediction
Office of Public Works The OPW is a service organization. Its clients include Government, other Departments, Offices and Agencies and the public. Core services
(OPW) provided by the OPW are property maintenance, property management, architectural and engineering services, heritage services, project
management and procurement services, and flood risk management.
Ordnance Survey Ireland Ordnance Survey Ireland is the national mapping agency of the Republic of Ireland. It provides digital/hardcopy products and mapping
(OSI) services. It provides a range of urban, rural, tourist and leisure maps at a variety of scales. They also provide other products such as aerial
photography and digital terrain models.
Pluvial flooding Pluvial flooding is defined as flooding which results from rainfall-generated overland flow and ponding before runoff enters a watercourse or
sewer or when it cannot enter because the drainage system is already full to capacity. It is also known as surface water flooding. The
capacity of local drainage (both natural and man-made) is overwhelmed and surface ponding occurs sometimes to a significant depth. Such
ponding, often in low spots in the ground surface topography can occur rapidly and be a particular risk to basements other below-ground
facilities. Where slopes are steep, resulting high flood velocities along roads and streets can also be a hazard to pedestrians and traffic.
Ponding An area where runoff collects in a depression and cannot drain.

Preliminary Flood Risk The Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) is a requirement of the EU ‘Floods’ Directive. The objective of the PFRA is to identify areas
Assessment (PFRA) where the risks associated with flooding might be significant. These areas (referred to as Areas for Further Assessment or ‘AFAs’) are where
more detailed assessment is required to more accurately assess the extent and degree of flood risk. The more detailed assessment that will
focus on the AFAs are being undertaken through Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (‘CFRAM’) Studies.
Principal Stakeholder Person, group, or organization that has direct (key) stake in an organisation (or project) because it can affect or be affected by the
organisation's projects, actions, objectives, and policies.
Radio Detection and Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or
Ranging (RADAR) speed of objects.
Raingauge A gauge used to measure the depth of accumulated rainfall.
Rainfall Duration The length of time a rainfall event lasts.
Rainfall Hyetographs A graphical representation of rainfall distribution over time.
Rainfall infiltration Precipitation that enters drainage systems or below-ground strata.
Rainfall Intensity A measure of the amount of precipitation over time.
Rainfall Pattern Variations in precipitation frequency, duration and intensity averaged over time for particular areas.
Rapid Flood Spreading The Rapid Flood Spreading Model (RFSM) is a modeling approach which is used in pluvial studies and surface water management plans to
Model (RFSM) represent overland flow at a high level (large scale). It is topography based and provides and an indication of ponding areas and the potential
depths of flooding within these areas. It is usually applicable for national or regional studies.
Receptor Different sensitive receptors, that could possibly be affected by flood events (i.e. human health, critical infrastructure, environmental and
cultural heritage and economy).

Final Report – Dublin viii
Return Period A return period, also known as a recurrence interval, is an estimate of the interval of time between flood events or river discharge flow of a
certain intensity or size. It is a statistical measurement denoting the average recurrence interval over an extended period of time, and is often
used for risk analysis (i.e. whether a project should be allowed to go forward in a zone of a certain risk) and also to dimension structures so
that they are capable of withstanding a flood event of a certain return period.
Risk In flood risk management, risk is defined as a product of the probability or likelihood of a flood occurring, and the consequence of the flood.
Rolling Ball Technique A GIS based form of analysis used to predict pathways of preferential flow direction based on terrain slope.
Sewer flooding Flooding caused by a blockage or overflowing due to heavy rainfall in a sewer or urban drainage system.
Sewer flooding can occur when ‘combined’ sewers (which carry both foul sewage and stormwater) are overwhelmed by heavy rainfall or
when they become blocked, or can be attributed to infrastructure failure (e.g. pumping station failure). The likelihood of flooding depends on
the capacity of the local sewerage system. Land and property can be flooded with water contaminated with raw sewage as a result. Rivers
can also become polluted by sewer overflows. In urban areas, pluvial flooding and sewer flooding often combine, polluting the floodwater. It
should be noted that in some newer developments foul sewage and stormwater is conveyed in ‘separate’ systems. In such cases flooding
due to heavy rainfall is usually associated with the stormwater system.
Stakeholder A person or organization affected by the problem or solution, or interested in the problem or solution. They can be individuals or
organisations, and include the public and communities.
Street as Streams/Roads This specific type of measure is used to manage surface and overland flow. It involves the identification of designated surface and overland
as Rivers (SaS/RaR) flow pathways along streets and roads through the urban environment most likely to designated storage areas.
Surface Water Rainwater (including snow and other precipitation) which is on the surface of the ground (whether or not it is moving), and has not entered is
not being conveyed by a watercourse, drainage system or public sewer. Surface Water Flooding is the term often used to describe the
combined surface flooding from multiple sources and can include pluvial flooding, sewer flooding, groundwater flooding at the surface and
flooding from small urban watercourses.
Sustainability Sustainability is the long-term maintenance of responsibility, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions. It is a term used to
define an approach (relating to the implementation of measures or a plan) which does not compromise the interconnected needs of the
economy, society and environment in the future.
Sustainable Urban Methods of management practices and control structures that are designed to drain surface water in a more sustainable manner than some
Drainage System (SuDs) conventional techniques.
Tidal Flooding Flooding resulting from sea levels exceeding high tide levels, or coastal flood defences. This type of flooding occurs in coastal areas and
places where tidal influence may affect water levels (i.e. estuaries, coastal inlets)
Tipping Bucket Raingauge A tipping bucket raingauge is a meteorological device that can measure rainfall intensity as well as the total amount of precipitation that has
fallen.
TUFLOW Modeling software that simulates pluvial flooding for a range of rainfall events of various severities (in duration and intensity)
Wet Mapping Pluvial flood maps which have been produced as an outputs from the TUFLOW model, which demonstrate the possible flood depth, velocities
and hazard.

Final Report – Dublin ix
ABBREVIATIONS
1D/2D One dimensional/Two dimensional

AEP Annual Exceedance Probability
ARF Areal reduction factor
CAPE Convective Available Potential Energy
CFRAM Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study
CoP Code of Practice
CPS Contour Polygon Screening
DCC Dublin City Council
DDF Depth-duration frequency
DEFRA Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK
DEM Digital Elevation Model
DTM Digital Terrain Model
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
EWA European Water Association
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
FDES Flood Depth Estimation System (software developed by Jacobs)
FEH Flood Estimation Handbook (UK)
FERP Federated Emergency Response Plan
FLIWAS Flood Information and Warning System
FRC FloodResilienCity
FRM Flood Risk Management
FSR Flood Studies Report
FSU Flood Studies Update (Ireland)
GDSDS Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study
GIS Geographic Information Systems
GPRS General Packet Radio Service
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
IZ Impact Zones
LiDAR Light Detecting and Ranging
MEM Major Emergency Management
An Interreg IIIB organization for research in to the rapid transfer of data with respect to
NOAH
flood prevention.
NRA National Roads Authority
OPW Office of Public Works
OSi Ordnance Survey Ireland
PFRA Preliminary Flood Risk Review
PRA Principal Response Agency
PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
Radar Radio Detection and Ranging
RBD River Basin District
RDBMS Relational Database Management Systems
RFSM Rapid Flood Spreading Model
SAFER Strategies and Actions for Flood Emergency Risk management
SaS/RaR Street as Streams/Roads as Rivers
SuDs Sustainable Urban Drainage
TBR Tipping Bucket Raingauge
WMO World Meteorological Organization
WPG Weighing Principle Gauge

Final Report – Dublin x
SECTION 1 SPATIAL PLANNING AND BUILDING REGULATIONS
1.1 Introduction
Codes of Practice relating to ‘Spatial Planning and Building Regulations’ and to ‘Flood
Resilience and Adaptation Measures’ have been developed to support pluvial flood risk
management.
Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations introduced in the

following sub-sections, is presented in Appendix V3-A of this document.
Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures is introduced in Section

2 and presented in Appendix V3-B of this document. Code of Practice 2 provides
guidance on appropriate resistance / resilience measures to address pluvial flood risk
relevant to both new and retrofit properties.
Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations conveys how the
appropriate consideration of pluvial flood hazard and risk within the spatial planning
process can be achieved by extending the application of the principles of the
Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Flood Risk Management, prepared by the
Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government1 (DEHLG) and the Office
of Public Works (OPW) (November 2009). It is intended that this Code of Practice is
read in conjunction with these ‘DEHLG/OPW Guidelines’ as the flood risk management
principles and guidelines are not repeated in detail, and only those
guidelines/recommendations which will require some diversion from these principles
are outlined in Code of Practice 1.
The following sections outline the background to the development of Code of Practice
1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations as well as recommendations for its
application.
1.1.1 Objectives
Dublin City Council recognise that European experience in the early 2000’s and more
recently the OPW in their flooding policies have identified inclusion of flood risk
management in the spatial planning process as the single most effective first step in
the flood resilience process. In this regard, the specification for the Dublin
FloodResilienCity project set out the objectives for this element of the study:
• Review a number of existing national and local/regional policy documents and
develop a formal DCC policy in regard to pluvial/surface water flooding and the
spatial planning process.
• These will be developed into a code of practice related to pluvial flood risk
management and will be complementary to that developed under the Greater
Dublin Strategic Drainage Study.
1.1.2 Context
The development of policy in this area is viewed as a potential ’early-win’ measure to

address pluvial flood risk across Dublin assuming that changes in policy and guidance
1
This department is now the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. References
to this publication will use the acronym ‘DEHLG/OPW’, however all other references to this Department will
use the new acronym, DECLG.

Final Report – Dublin 1
can be implemented relatively quickly and easily. In applying it across the Dublin
administrative area it will mitigate pluvial flood risk in all areas including those for which
site specific measures may not be justified. It aims to complement measures under
Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures which is provided in
Appendix V3-B of this report Volume.
Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations will allow for the relevant
pluvial flood-related policies to be integrated into the application of sustainable planning
and building control activities in Dublin.
1.1.3 Approach
This task has been largely based on a Literature Review where a number of existing
national and local/regional policy documents have been reviewed (refer to Section 1.2).
Various policy and guideline documents have been collated, and we have discussed
issues and experience directly with Dublin City Council staff from various relevant
departments.
The Literature Review identified opportunities for the development of existing flood-
related policies to account more specifically for pluvial flood hazard. Section 1.4
outlines the policy recommendations for the future provision and management of
pluvial flood hazard in Dublin City.
In researching and developing the policy elements, we have endeavoured to assess

how pluvial flooding is currently managed within the Greater Dublin area, whilst taking
into account approaches taken by FRC partners and other authorities across Europe
and in the United States.
In developing the Code of Practice we have aimed to consider the following elements
of the Dublin FRC Project:
• City-wide hazard and risk mapping (Volume Two);
• Inform spatial planning/zoning decisions (including public realm),
providing opportunities to avoid areas with high-medium probability of
pluvial flooding and to minimise flood risk;
• Facilitate specific/more stringent requests of planning applicants.
• Detailed pluvial flood hazard and risk mapping for pilot areas (Volume Four);
• In addition to the points noted above, this can inform more detailed
spatial planning/zoning decisions e.g. at Local Area Plan level, and can
facilitate future plans for flood resilience and adaptation;
• Recommendations for flood resilience and adaptation measures and how this
can be established and maintained (Volume Three, Appendix V3-B);
• Rainfall characteristics and categorisation, and climate change influences
(Volume One).

1.2 Review of Existing Policy Documents for Relevance to Pluvial Flooding
1.2.1 National Spatial Strategy and National Guidance
National planning policy supports the consideration of flood risk management as an

important part of achieving proper planning and sustainable development. It recognises
that spatial planning at regional and local levels is an essential part of the overall
implementation mechanisms for the National Spatial Strategy (NSS), and planning at
these levels is required to address the suitability of locations for development including
considerations relating to flood risk.
Ireland’s future policy related to flood risk is summarised by the Office of Public Works
(OPW) Report of the Flood Policy Review Group:
‘to minimise the national level of risk of loss of life and/or damage to property and
personal well-being that might arise from flooding in a sustainable and cost effective
manner through the integrated, proactive and river basin based management of
existing and potential future flood risk, and the mitigation of the impacts of flood
events through non-structural, as well as structural, flood relief measures’.
This policy will be delivered through the OPW Catchment-based Flood Risk
Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Studies currently underway across Ireland,
and local authorities are required to assist the OPW in implementing this policy.
However, the current scope of these studies concentrates primarily on fluvial and
coastal flood risk, and it does not at present include for the assessment of pluvial (or
groundwater) flood risk.
Planning authorities are required to have regard to the DEHLG and the OPW Planning
System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines (November 2009) in carrying out
their functions under the Planning Acts to ensure that, ‘where relevant, flood risk is a
key consideration in preparing development plans and local area plans and in the
assessment of planning applications’.
In addition to providing guidance for planning authorities, the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines

also aim to assist developers and the wider public in addressing flood risk in preparing
development proposals. Appendix B of the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines provides specific
guidance on addressing flood risk management in the design of development in flood
risk zones2.
The DEHLG/OPW Guidelines will revise and strengthen planning policy on

development and flood risk across Ireland.
Figure 1.1 below illustrates how the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines require flood risk
assessment to be incorporated into spatial planning:
2
Defined as ‘geographical areas within which the likelihood of flooding is in a particular range’

Figure 1.1: Flood risk management and the planning system (extract from
DEHLG / OPW, 2009)
Planning can have a significant role to play with respect to flood risk management, in
particular in avoiding or minimising future increases in flood risk. To achieve the aims
and objectives of the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines, some key principles to be adopted by
regional and local authorities, developers and their agents are outlined:
• Avoid development in areas at risk from flooding, unless there are proven
wider sustainability grounds that justify development. Where this is the case,
development must be appropriate and flood risks must be effectively managed to
reduce the level of risk.
• Adopt a Sequential Approach to flood risk management when assessing the
locations for new development based on avoidance, reduction, and mitigation of
risk.
• Incorporate flood risk assessment into planning application decisions and
appeals.
To facilitate the achievement of these principles, the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines identify

three types of ‘flood zones’ relevant to river and coastal flooding to be established for
use within the planning system.
• Flood Zone A – where the probability of flooding from rivers and the sea is
highest (greater than 1% or 1 in 100 AEP for river flooding or 0.5% or 1 in 200
for coastal flooding);
• Flood Zone B – where the probability of flooding from rivers and the sea is
moderate (between 0.1% or 1 in 1000 AEP and 1% or 1 in 100 AEP for river

flooding and between 0.1% or 1 in 1000 AEP and 0.5% or 1 in 200 AEP for
coastal flooding); and
• Flood Zone C – where the probability of flooding from rivers and the sea is low
(less than 0.1% or 1 in 1000 AEP for both river and coastal flooding). Flood Zone
C covers all areas of the plan which are not in zones A or B.
As part of the Dublin FRC Code of Practice 1 presented in Appendix V3-A of this
Volume, it is proposed that a similar zoning system specific to pluvial flood hazard is
used to assist Dublin City Council incorporate the above key principles into the
planning system.
The DEHLG/OPW Guidelines define pluvial flooding as follows:

Usually associated with convective summer thunderstorms or high intensity rainfall
cells within longer duration events, pluvial flooding is a result of rainfall-generated
overland flows which arise before run-off enters any watercourse or sewer. The
intensity of rainfall can be such that the run-off totally overwhelms surface water and
underground drainage systems.
OPW’s National Pluvial Screening Project (2010) has screened pluvial flood hazard
arising from overland flow and ponding based on a review of intense rainfall events and
the associated flood risk across Ireland (excluding Northern Ireland). As a result the
following data is available on a national scale:
• Flood depth data – Maximum flood depth maps, 10m resolution, for 1 in 30, 1
in 100, 1 in 1000 AEP rainfall events.
• Flood risk data – Expressed as the Expected Annual Damage (EAD) based on
property damage, 100m resolution, for 1 in 5, 1 in 10, 1 in 30, 1 in 50, 1 in 100
and 1 in 1000 AEP rainfall events.
As noted above, the CFRAM Studies currently underway across Ireland do not address
pluvial flood risk, concentrating primarily on fluvial and coastal flood risk. However, the
Dublin FRC Project has developed City-wide pluvial hazard (with hazard being a
function of flood depth and flow velocity) and risk maps which can be used as spatial
planning tools for Dublin City.
To supplement the pro-active approach to flood risk management initiated by the

National Flood Policy and DEHLG/OPW Guidelines, the Department of Environment,
Communications and Local Government (DECLG) is reviewing its document
‘Recommendations for Site development Works for Housing Areas’ with an aim to set
out best practice in regard to the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Also,
the DECLG propose to review the provisions of the Exempted Development
Regulations under existing planning legislation, such as paving over residential garden
areas, to encourage greater use of SuDS, i.e. only those complying with sustainable
drainage principles will be exempted. Prior to the completion of these reviews, the
DEHLG/OPW Guidelines advise planning authorities to advocate such sustainable
drainage principles in considering planning applications through discussions at
consultation stage.
The Planning and Development Acts, 2000 to 2011, provide that development plans
may include objectives for ‘regulating, restricting or controlling development in areas of
risk of flooding (whether inland or coastal), erosion and natural hazards’. Also, there
are provisions for the refusal of planning permission without compensation for
proposed development in an area which is at risk of flooding. It is to be assumed that
‘flooding’ relates to all flood hazards, including pluvial. Policy Objective SIO772 of the
Dublin City Development Plan 2011 – 2017 acknowledges this provision (refer to
Section 1.2.4.).
The Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations presented in

Appendix V3-A of this document outlines how planning authorities can consider pluvial
flood hazard and risk when developing and implementing City and Local Area Plans as
well as when assessing planning applications for development in accordance with the
provisions of the DEHLG/OPW (2009) guidelines.
1.2.2 Regional Planning Guidelines
The Greater Dublin Area Regional Planning Guidelines for the period 2010-2022 have
been adopted by the Regional Authorities.
Although the regional flood risk appraisal outlined in these Regional Planning
Guidelines does not specifically examine pluvial flood risk, one strategic policy and a
number of recommendations for regional flood risk management are considered
relevant to pluvial flooding and these are outlined in Table 1.1 below.
Table 1.1: Regional Planning Guidelines strategic policy and recommendations

relevant to pluvial flooding / flood risk management
Relevance – Is
Existing Strategic Policy and Recommendations pluvial flooding /
FRM represented?
That flood risk be managed pro-actively at all stages in the
Yes - assumed to
planning process avoiding development in flood risk areas
FP1 capture all flood
where possible and by reducing the risks of flooding to and
hazards.
from existing and future development.
It aims to be implemented through a number of Strategic Recommendations:
New development should be avoided in areas at risk of
Yes - assumed to
flooding. Alongside this, the Regional Flood Risk Appraisal
capture all flood
recognises the need for continuing investment and
hazards.
development within the urban centres of flood vulnerable
FR1 However, the CFRAM
designated growth towns and the City and for this to take
Studies do not as yet
place in tandem with the completion of CFRAM Studies and
specifically address
investment in comprehensive flood protection and
pluvial flooding.
management.
Development and Local Area Plans should include a
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, and all future zoning of
land for development in areas at risk of flooding should
follow the sequential approach set out in the Departmental Yes - assumed to
FR2 Guidance on Flood Risk Management. All Flood Risk capture all flood
Assessments and CFRAM studies should take place in hazards.
coordination and consultation with adjoining local authorities
and regions and in coordination with the relevant River Basin
Management Plans.
Local authorities should take the opportunities presented to
optimise improvements in biodiversity and amenity when
Yes - assumed to
including policies and actions in development plans/local
FR3 capture all flood
area plans (such as flood plain protection and SuDS) for
hazards.
existing and future developments.
Plans and projects associated with flood risk management

that have the potential to negatively impact on Natura 2000
Yes - assumed to
sites will be subject to a Habitats Directive Assessment
FR4 capture all flood
(HDA) according to Article 6 of the habitats directive and in
hazards.
accordance with best practice and guidance.

Relevance – Is
Existing Strategic Policy and Recommendations pluvial flooding /
FRM represented?
Yes, and this can now
be supplemented with
the findings of the
Full implementation of new development and environmental Dublin FRC Project
PIR20 management policies developed in the GDSDS project, (particularly Code of
including Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Practice 2: Flood
Resilience and
Adaptation Measures
(Appendix V3-B))
Yes, and this can now
the findings of the
Integration within urban areas of pluvial and drainage
Dublin FRC Project
models to achieve an integrated response and mutually
PIR21 (particularly Volumes
supportive actions to prevent pluvial flooding and pollution of
Two and Four which
receiving waters.
detail the hydraulic
modelling undertaken
for the City))
Yes. The findings of
All water management plans should take account of the the Dublin FRC
possible impact of climate change in the future in relation to Project can inform any
PIR24
changes to volumes of rainfall, river flows, sea level rise, such plans
drought events and frequency of storm events. (particularly Volumes
One, Two and Four)
In addition, to the tabulated policy and recommendations, Green Infrastructure is

recognised by the Regional Guidelines as an important emerging concept in flood risk
management and some strategic recommendations are made in relation to
development of this concept. This is of particular relevance to pluvial flooding.
1.2.3 Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study (GDSDS)
The deliverables of the Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study (GDSDS) included a
Final Strategy Report and a set of Regional Drainage Policies.
To produce the Policy documents, the GDSDS undertook a review of local authority
drainage practices in five key areas and recommended policies for the future provision
and management of drainage services in the Greater Dublin Area. The policies are
summarised in an Overall Policy Document and five Technical Documents provide the
background and details of the policies under the topics New Development;
Environmental Management; Climate Change; Inflow, Infiltration and Exfiltration; and
Basements.
These policies were developed prior to the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines however the
overall principles for proactive flood risk management are similar to those of the
Guidelines. It is clear that many of the Objective and Policy recommendations outlined
in these Regional Drainage documents can support the assessment and management
of pluvial flood risk (refer to Table 1.2).
The GDSDS Technical Documents identified (drainage-related) objectives to be

encapsulated in the general policy statements of Development Plans, some of which
identify inter alia, issues and areas of improvement relevant to pluvial flood risk
management. For example the New Development Policy recognised the need for a
register of basements to help identify properties currently at risk and potentially at
future risk from new development and climate change effects. The Climate Change
Policy recognised the absence of a future stochastic rainfall time series to properly
reflect the projected change in seasonal rainfall pattern across the Dublin region.
These recommendations are echoed in Section 1.4 below in which policy
recommendations for the future provision and management of pluvial flood hazard in
Dublin City are outlined.
As with the GDSDS policies, it is intended that the recommended policies / policy
amendments developed for CoP 1 Spatial Planning and Building Control are
incorporated into the Dublin City Development Plans, to be implemented through the
planning process, for all new developments and extensions / modifications to existing
developments. With further development and consultation, such policies can then be
incorporated with other local authority policies to bring a standardised approach to
future provision and management of pluvial risk.
The GDSDS policies were used to develop the Greater Dublin Regional Code of
Practice for Drainage Works. That Regional Code of Practice aims to promote a
consistent approach to drainage infrastructure planning, design, construction and
operation throughout the Greater Dublin Area. The guidelines include: Drainage
Requirements; Guidelines for Planning and Construction; Post Construction
Certification; Private Drainage; Pipelines; Culverts; Road Gullies and Pumping
Stations; and various related topics and issues. A specific chapter is included on
Stormwater Management Policy for Developers.
The GDSDS Overall Policy report states that while these policies remain the overriding
documents, the GDSDS Code of Practice sets out the requirements for the local
authorities in a more concise format for day to day use. This was acknowledged in
developing the Dublin FRC Codes of Practice relating to pluvial flooding and flood risk
management.
Table 1.2 below includes extracts from the GDSDS Code of Practice for Drainage
Works which are considered relevant to flooding and flood risk management (FRM).
The ‘Relevance’ column briefly summarises if the scope of these requirements in their
current form sufficiently include for pluvial flooding / flood risk management.

Table 1.2: GDSDS Code of Practice for Drainage Works requirements relevant to
Pluvial Flooding / Flood Risk Management in Dublin City
Relevance:
Existing Code of Practice Requirements Is pluvial flooding /
FRM represented?
Drainage Requirements
3.11 Flooding
Currently limited to
fluvial zones. This could
now be expanded to
It is a policy to control development in the natural flood
include areas subject to
plain of a river and to develop guidelines, in co-operation
3.11.1 pluvial flooding using
with the Local Sanitary Authority, for permitted
project findings
development in the different flood risk category areas.
documented in Volume
Two and Volume Three,
Appendix V3-A.
Assumed to capture all

flood hazards. However,
The risk categories for future development are: it is recommended that
• Low Risk: No restrictions to development. these risk categories
• Medium Risk: Development may be allowed following are supplemented with
the recommendations of a flood impact assessment. the use of pluvial 'flood
• High Risk: Limited development may be allowed zones' which are
subject to a flood impact assessment, flood defences discussed in Section
and warning facilities been approved by the Local A2.2.1 of Code of
Sanitary Authority Practice 1: Spatial
• Known Areas of Flooding: As a rule development is Planning and Building
not permitted in known a flood plain. Regulations (Appendix
3.11.2
V3-A).
Where flood risk maps are not available the Developer will
be required to carry out a flood risk assessment in A large area of Dublin
accordance with the above requirements. Where the City is at risk of pluvial
development has the potential to reduce flood plain flooding, and therefore
storage and/or the potential to increase the flood risk in the prevention of
the relevant catchments the Developer must satisfy the development in ‘known
Local Sanitary Authority that the appropriate risk reduction areas of flooding’ may
measures can be put in place to offset any increased risk not be practical in many
of flooding. areas for pluvial flood
hazards.
3.12 Climate Change

The reference to rainfall
characteristics could be
All new development must allow for climate change as set expanded to take into
out in the GDSDS Technical Document, Volume 5, account findings of the
Climate Change. The key points documented are listed Dublin FRC Project
below: (Volume Two City-wide
(Type 1) and Volume
3.12 Climate Change Category Characteristics: Four Detailed (Type 2)
• River: flows 20% increase in flows for all return pluvial flood depth and
periods up to 100 years hazard mapping.
• Sea level: 450+mm rise Allowances should be
• Rainfall: 10% increase in depth (factor all intensities subject to ongoing
by 1.1) review as further data
and research becomes
available.

Relevance:
Existing Code of Practice Requirements Is pluvial flooding /
FRM represented?
3.18 Basement Drainage

Yes, and planning
control for this can now
……Access to basement car parks should be designed
the findings of the
3.12 such that surface water run-off from the surrounding
Dublin FRC Project
paved areas cannot flow down the ramp.
(particularly Volume
Appendix V3-B)
4.1 Planning
Yes, and planning
control for this can now
The Developer shall limit storm water discharge from the
proposed development in accordance with the GDSDS
4.1.4. the findings of the
Technical Documents, Volume 2, New Development
Dublin FRC Project
Policy. (Linked to 16 - Stormwater Management Policy for
(particularly Volume
Developers)
Appendix V3-B)
References to rainfall
characteristics and
information sources /
tools could now be
expanded to take into
account the findings of
All new developments must allow for Climate Change as
the Dublin FRC Project
4.1.5. set out in the GDSDS Technical Documents, Volume 5,
(Volumes One, Two and
Climate Change.
Four). Allowances
should be subject to
ongoing review as
further data and
research becomes
available.
16.0 Stormwater Management Policy for Developers
The Developer shall comply with the Greater Dublin In compliance with
16.1. Strategic Drainage Study, Volume 2, New Development these policies, SuDS
Policy features are already
All new development must allow for climate change, see being established and
16.4.
3.12 integrated as part of the
Key design criteria relevant to 30 and 100 year return existing surface
periods (1 in 30 and 1 in 100 AEP) are outlined for ‘Level drainage system in
of service (flooding) for the site’, e.g. No internal property Dublin. These policies
16.3 are directly applicable to
flooding. Planned flood routing and temporary flood
storage accommodated on site for short high intensity pluvial flood risk
storms. Site critical duration events. management and these
SuDS are a mandatory requirement of each Local can now be
16.5. supplemented with the
Sanitary Authority.
findings of the Dublin
FRC Project
(particularly Code of
Attenuation Tanks/Enlarged Pipes: These are not true Practice 2: Flood
SuDS devices and should only be considered as a last Resilience and
16.6.
resort where it can be shown that SuDS measures are not Adaptation Measures
achievable. (Appendix V3-B)) to
support these policy
requirements.

1.2.4 Dublin City Development Plan 2011 – 2017
The preparation of the current Dublin City Development Plan had regards to a Draft
version of the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines. Also, in accordance with recent planning and
development regulations, the development plan introduces a core strategy conveying
that the development objectives in the Plan are consistent, as far as practicable, with
national and regional development objectives set out in the National Spatial Strategy
and regional planning guidelines.
With regards flood risk management, the Development Plan states that ‘through the
application of the sequential approach and justification test as set out in the Planning
System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines it is considered that the elements of
the core strategy can be achieved while managing flood risk appropriately.'
Flood Risk Management
On identifying water-related challenges, the requirement of flood risk assessment and

management in response to climate change and the impact of increased flood risk due
to extremes of weather are noted as key issues to be addressed through the
implementation of the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines.
Of the main water-related strategic issues identified for the current Dublin City Council
Development Plan period (relating to the achievement of the core strategy), the
following are considered relevant to pluvial flooding:
• Using Flood Risk Assessment techniques, identification and management of
these risks to be put in place through the identification and protection of existing
and proposed flood defences and the need for flood resilient urban and building
design and construction; and
• Improve the city’s resilience and ability to adapt to climate change.
The Development Plan flood risk management and SuDS policies and objectives
considered relevant to pluvial flooding are outlined in Table 1.3 below.
Green Infrastructure (‘Greening the City’)
This is identified as a strategic approach which DCC will actively promote to help
achieve a green connected city and more sustainable neighbourhoods in line with the
core strategy for the plan period (2011-2017).
By connecting green spaces and other natural features such as rivers and canals,
Green Infrastructure can provide a sustainable approach to pluvial flood risk
management in an urban area as well as providing a water quality improvement
function. A range of assets are outlined in the development plan, with those of
relevance to pluvial flooding identified as follows:
• Functional spaces such as flood storage areas and sustainable drainage
schemes; and
• Buildings and hard surfaced areas incorporating greening initiatives such as
green roofs, green walls, and planters.
Relevant policies and objectives relating green infrastructure and pluvial flooding are
outlined in Table 1.3 below as well as those guiding principles relating to sustainable
site design, sustainable buildings and green corridors which are considered relevant to
pluvial flooding.

Development Standards
The qualitative and quantitative development standards used to assess development

proposals (in the context of the core strategy) are specified in the Development Plan. A
number of these standards could be supplemented / edited to help manage pluvial
flood risk. Those identified as relevant to pluvial flooding are outlined in Table 1.3
below.
Table 1.3: Spatial Planning Policies, Objectives Guiding Principles and
Standards relevant to pluvial flooding / flood risk management in Dublin City
Relevance – Is pluvial
Policies, Objectives, Guiding Principles and Standards flooding / FRM
represented?
Flood Risk Management Policies and Objective
Assumed to capture all

flood hazards,
particularly now that the
Dublin FRC Project is
supplementing the
Dublin Flood Initiative3
To carry out flood risk assessment and introduce Flood
by assessing pluvial
Risk Management in all areas which have been flooded in
SI48 flood hazard and risk.
recent years recognising that areas of the City are at risk
Pluvial flood risk
of flooding.
assessment completed
for Dublin City (refer to
Volume Two: City-wide
Pluvial Flood Risk
Assessment)
To have regard to the Guidelines for Planning Authorities Assessment approaches

on Flood Risk Management, November 2009, published in the Guidelines are
directed at fluvial and
by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and
SI49 coastal, but can be
Local Government when assessing planning applications
and in the preparation of plans both statutory and non- supplemented using the
statutory. findings of the Dublin
FRC Project to include
for pluvial.
To require all applicants, where appropriate, to carry out a
Flood Risk Assessment in accordance with the
The scope of this
Departmental Guidelines on Flood Risk Management.
existing policy and its
The flood risk assessment shall accompany the planning
objective can be
application and should be sufficiently detailed to quantify
extended to include
the risks and the effects of any necessary mitigation /
pluvial flood hazard or
SIO772 adaptation, together with the measures needed to
supplemented with a
manage residual risks.
new policy specific to
pluvial (refer to Code of
Local Area Plans or other land use plans or policies
Practice 1: Spatial
drawn up by Dublin City Council under the Development
Planning and Building
Plan are also subject to a flood risk assessment as
Regulations in Appendix
appropriate in accordance with the Guidelines.
V3-A).
3
The Dublin Flood Initiative (DFI) is Dublin City Council’s collective strategy for managing flood risks
from all flood hazards – drainage, dam break, coastal, riverine, and now pluvial. The DFI aims to
proactively respond to the need to address flood risks and develop a unified and fully integrated flood
risk management strategy. It also aims to raise the level of awareness and participation through policy
makers, professionals and the general public.

represented?
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Policies
Yes - captures pluvial

flood hazard, and both
To incorporate and promote the use of Sustainable the scope and
Drainage Systems within City Council developments and application of these
SI51 other infrastructural projects as set out in the Greater policies can now be
Dublin Regional Code of Practice for Drainage Works supplemented with the
(see also Policy GCO4 and section 16.2.3) findings of the Dublin
FRC Project (particularly
Code of Practice 2
(Appendix V3-B) and
Volume Four)
To require the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems in all Yes - captures pluvial
new developments, where appropriate, as set out in the flood hazard, and both
Greater Dublin Regional Code of Practice for Drainage the scope and
Works. The following measures will apply: application of these
• The infiltration into the ground through the policies can now be
SI52 development of porous pavement such as permeable supplemented with the
paving, swales, detention basins. findings of the Dublin
• The holding of water in storage areas through the FRC Project (particularly
construction of green roofs, rainwater harvesting, Code of Practice 2
detention basins, ponds, wetlands. (Appendix V3-B) and
• The slow down of the movement of water Volume Four)
Green Infrastructure Network/Strategy Policy and Objectives
Yes - assumed to
capture pluvial flood
hazard, and both the
To co-ordinate between open space, biodiversity and
scope and application of
GC7 flood management, in progressing a green infrastructure
this policy can now be
network
supplemented with the
FRC Project
To progress the illustrated strategic green infrastructure

network and to devise a programme of specific works to
GCO1 be implemented within the current development plan
timeframe (see Strategic Green Network Map and also
City Centre Routes Map, Figures 10 and 11) Yes - assumed to
capture pluvial flood
hazard, and both the
To establish an interdepartmental task force on green scope and application of
roofing within the City Council to examine the suitability of these objectives can
GCO3
various technical designs of green roofs for new and now be supplemented
existing developments in the city with the findings of the
Dublin FRC Project.
To review existing road construction standards and to

GCO4 prepare a design guide for new developments to ensure
the integration of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS)
in relation to Taking in Charge Standards

represented?
16.0 Green Infrastructure Guiding Principles

Yes, and the application
of these principles can
now be supplemented
with the findings of the
16.2.2
Sustainable Site Design, Sustainable Drainage Systems, Dublin FRC Project
–
Sustainable Buildings, Green Roofs, Green Networks (particularly Code of
16.2.7
Practice 2: Flood
Resilience and
Adaptation Measures
(Appendix V3-B))
Currently focuses on
fluvial and coastal only.
16.2.9 Flood Risk Areas
Can be expanded to
include pluvial.
17.0 Development Standards
17.1.4 Sustainable Site and Building Design Yes, and both the scope
17.2.1 Hard Landscaping and application of these
standards can now be
supplemented with the
FRC Project (particularly
17.9.11 Standards for Residential Accommodation: Basements Code of Practice 2:
Flood Resilience and
Adaptation Measures
(Appendix V3-B))
The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Dublin City Development Plan
includes the use of environmental protection objectives specific to flooding and flood
risk management. Table 1.4 is an extract from the SEA’s Environmental Report
outlining how Dublin City Council proposes to monitor the implementation of these
objectives. These are directly relevant to pluvial flooding.
Table 1.4: Dublin City Council Development Plan SEA Objectives, Targets and
Indicators relevant to flood risk
Environmental Environmental Target Indicator
Receptor Protection
Objective
Climatic Reduce and Compliance with the Number of planning
Factors manage the risk Floods Directive and with permissions compliant with
of flooding OPW / DEHLG ‘Flood the Floods Directive and
Risk Management in the OPW / DEHLG’s ‘Flood
Planning Process’ Risk Management in the
standards Planning Process’
standards
Flood Risk Assessment Number of planning
be carried out for all new permissions incorporating
developments flood risk assessment and
conditions requiring
appropriate flood resilient
measures for new
developments

Environmental Environmental Target Indicator

Receptor Protection
Objective
Avoid the development Number of flood defences,
risk of destruction of flood flood defence structures
defences, flood defence and features identified in
structures and features the development plan
Identify Sustainable Number of Sustainable
Drainage Systems (and Drainage Systems and
features which are flood defence features
identified as having a required in new planning
flood defence function) in applications.
all new developments.
Landscape and Preserve or No storm water flooding % Area of city landscape as
Soils enhance area and associated risks (e.g. pervious area
of natural water contamination)
rainfall
infiltration to
water table
within the city
landscape to
minimise storm
water flooding
The combined effect of many people paving over their front gardens can increase the
amount of surface runoff which adds to the risk of flooding. Planning permission is
required for new entrances/driveways or widening an existing entrance/driveway.
However, paving over green areas for some off-street parking and ‘hard landscaping’ is
currently exempt from planning. The DECLG intends to review such exempted
development provisions to ensure that only those complying with sustainable drainage
principles will be exempted.
Dublin City Council’s Guidance titled ‘Parking Cars in Front Gardens’ includes a
requirement for SuDs, requesting that proposals should ‘indicate how the design aims
to control surface water runoff in a sustainable fashion through the use of permeable or
porous surfaces such as gravel and green areas, etc rather than excessive hard
surfacing’. In the UK (since 1 October 2008) planning permission is required if more
than five square metres of a new or replacement driveway is to be covered with
traditional, impermeable materials that do not provide for the water to run to a
permeable area.
1.2.5 Building Regulations
Irish Building Regulations 1997 – 2011 apply to the construction of new buildings and
to extensions and material alterations to buildings. Their primary purpose is to provide
for the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings. Some aspects of
the Regulations also apply to a material change in the use of buildings. Current
Building Regulations do not apply to buildings constructed prior to 1 June, 1992.
Building Control Regulations are in place to assist the enforcement of, and compliance
with, the Building Regulations.

Persons / Developers must issue a Commencement Notice to DCC for any works or
material changes of use to which the Building Regulations apply (some exemptions
apply).
Existing technical guidance (see below) for Irish Building Regulations 1997 – 2011, for
which the primary purpose is to provide for the health, safety and welfare of people
in and around buildings, does not specifically provide information on preventing or
reducing the impacts of pluvial flooding. However, the DECLG is continuously
reviewing and updating the Building Regulations and associated Technical Guidance
Documents, and in response to National Flood Policy and DEHLG/OPW Guidelines,
the DECLG is reviewing its document ‘Recommendations for Site Development Works
for Housing Areas’ with an aim to set out best practice in regard to the use of
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Such reviews/revisions should enable the
requirement for, and guidance on, pluvial flood resistance and resilience to be easily
incorporated into the building control system.
The DECLG have published a series of Technical Documents detailing how to

construct a building so that it complies with the Regulations. A review of these
Technical Guidance Documents was undertaken to identify any existing requirements
relating to pluvial flood risk management and also where these Guidance Documents
could be enhanced to include for such flood risk management.
Those considered of potential relevance to pluvial flood risk management are

highlighted in bold italics in the list below:
• Part A – Structure
• Relevance: Currently outlines basic requirements for stability which can
be extended to acknowledge specific requirements of developments in
flood prone areas.
• Part B - Fire Safety
• Part C - Site Preparation and Resistance to Moisture
• Relevance: Currently includes requirements for site preparation and
drainage, as well as outlining requirements for preventing moisture
entering or damaging a building. This however does not specifically
address moisture sourced from surface water (pluvial flow paths /
ponding) as it assumes that ‘the site of the building is not subject to
flooding or, if it is, that appropriate steps are being taken’.
• Part D - Materials and Workmanship
• Part E - Sound
• Part F - Ventilation
• Part G - Hygiene
• Part H - Drainage and Waste Water Disposal
• Relevance: This includes specific requirements for preventing/reducing
basement flooding through drains.
• Part J - Heat Producing Appliances
• Part K - Stairways Ladders Ramps and Guards
• Part L - Conservation of Fuel and Energy - Dwellings and Buildings Other Than
Dwellings

• Part M - Access and Use

• Relevance: This guidance includes the requirements for adequate
provisions for people to access and use a building, its facilities and its
environs. To satisfy the requirements of Part M for dwellings, it is
required that ‘elements of the building do not constitute an undue hazard
for people, especially for people with vision, hearing or mobility
impairments’.
The Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations (Appendix V3-A)
recommends how the Dublin FRC Project can help incorporate pluvial flood risk
management into application and enforcement of the current Building Regulations and
their associated Technical Documents. It is acknowledged that legislative changes may
be required to alter the Technical Documents. However, recommendations are made to
help Dublin City Council supplement the current building regulations and associated
Technical Documents to help support the local building control authority monitor and
enforce pluvial flood resilience / resistance in the building control system.
These recommendations for procedural changes are closely supported by Code of

Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures in Appendix V3-B.
1.3 European and International Practice
1.3.1 FRC Partner and European Guidance
Recommendations for the Establishment of Flood Risk Management Plans,

German Working Group on Water Issues of the Federal States and the Federal
Government (2010): In reviewing possible flood management actions, this guidance
includes advice on ‘precautionary building’ including flood adapted planning,
construction and renovation.
Measures to Prevent Floodwater Entering Buildings, City of Bradford Council

(2010) A an Interreg IVB FloodResilienCity partner Bradford City Council have been
involved in preparation of an interactive leaflet for householders which provides a step
by step guide on resistance and resilience measures in support of planning and
building control policies to raise resilience to flooding including surface water flooding.
Construction in Flood-Prone Areas, Diagnosing and Reducing the Impact of

Flood Hazards Methodological Guide, Department of Loiret, CEPRI, France
(2010): French technical guide for the investigation and diagnosis of the vulnerability of
public or private buildings. It also provides a reference for communities wishing to
engage in the process of reducing the vulnerability of residential and public buildings
that have been built in flood zones. Although developed for fluvial flood hazards, this
guide would prove very useful to inform pluvial flood risk assessments as well as
building control.

1.3.2 UK Practice and Guidance
Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk - Practice Guide,
Department of Communities and Local Government (December 2009)4: In England
the Government has revised and strengthened planning policy on development and
flood risk. The key planning objectives of PPS25 are to deliver sustainable
development by:
• ensuring that flood risk is taken into account at all stages of the planning process
• providing a more strategic approach to managing flood risk, ensuring that this is
considered as early as possible in the planning process
• clarifying the types of development that can be built in areas with a range of
flood risks, and avoiding inappropriate development
• strengthening guidance on the need to include Flood Risk Assessments at all
levels of the planning process
• providing opportunities to reduce flood risk to communities by re-creating and
safeguarding the flood plain
• promoting more ‘green space’ and sustainable drainage systems within urban
areas
• ensuring that new development takes climate change into account and does not
increase flooding elsewhere.
An important section of PPS25 is the production of a site specific Flood Risk

Assessment (FRA), which must accompany all planning applications, except for sites
less than 1ha and not known to be in an area of flood risk. In addition to identifying the
flood risk at the site and ensuring that flood risk is not increased for others, the FRA will
consider ways to reduce the residual flood risk which can include, amongst other
elements, incorporating resilience measures in the building design.
Through application of a ‘sequential approach’ to avoidance, resistant and resilient

techniques are considered in certain areas with residual or low risk of flooding or which
cannot be protected by traditional defences. However there can be justification for
departures from the sequential approach (the ‘Exception Test’) where it is necessary to
meet the wider aims of sustainable development.
The DEHLG/OPW Guidelines have adopted a similar approach to the UK’s PPS25 to
revise and strengthen planning policy on development and flood risk across Ireland.
4
In March 2012, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) replaced Planning Policy Statement 25
'Development and Flood Risk'. However, the policy principles remain unchanged, supporting Technical
Guidance has been issued and the associated Practice Guide remains in place until Government chooses
to replace it.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningsystem/planningpolicy/planningpolicyframewo
rk/

1.4 Proposed Policy Elements
A review of the existing flood-related policy (refer to Section 1.2) has identified some
opportunities for communicating and strengthening the requirements for pluvial flood
risk assessment and management in both the planning and building control systems
(Tables 1.1 – 1.4).
The following sections provide recommendations to facilitate / enhance the application

of the policy documents discussed in Section 1.2 to pluvial flood risk assessment and
management.
It is important to note that although Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and

Building Control (Appendix V3-A) focuses on the pluvial aspects, these opportunities
are intended for ‘in combination’ application with fluvial and coastal flood risk
assessment and management.
1.4.1 Planning
Relevance to National Policy (DEHLG/OPW Guidelines)
• Continue to advocate sustainable drainage principles in considering planning

applications (including exempted development) through discussions at
consultation stage.
• Initiate the use of pluvial (hazard) zones to inform spatial planning and to help
incorporate the key principles of the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines into the planning
system.
Relevance to Regional Planning Policy (Greater Dublin Area)
• Incorporate pluvial flood hazard assessment into Strategic Flood Risk

Assessments using the principles of the sequential approach set out in
DEHLG/OPW Guidance so that future zoning of land for development in areas
prone to pluvial flooding can be assessed for Development and Local Area
Plans.
Relevance to Regional Drainage Policy (GDSDS)
New Development Policy:

• Initiate the use of pluvial flood risk and hazard mapping to categorise existing
and future development areas respectively in terms of pluvial flooding hazard
with appropriate planning controls, and incorporate into Development Plans.
• Create a register of basements (location, use, floor level, drainage infrastructure
and flooding history) to help identify properties currently at risk and potentially at
future risk from new development and climate change effects.
• All Planning Applications are to be vetted by the Drainage Department,
irrespective of size of development or whether the drainage will be taken-in-
charge or not.

• All new development shall incorporate SuDS facilities and identify ‘taking in
charge’ arrangements, unless the developer can demonstrate that SuDS are
impractical due to site circumstances. Where SuDS cannot be provided, the
developer shall provide alternative means of dealing with surface water flow.
• Expand policy to include restrictions on ‘hard landscaping’ of green areas /
gardens for which proposals exceed 5 square metres as in UK. Planning
Regulations currently allow for this in areas at risk of flooding, but to help
manage urban creep, pluvial hazard maps could be used to impose restrictions.
Climate Change Policy:
• Utilise the findings of the Dublin FRC Technical Report, specifically Volume One:
Pluvial Rainfall and Forecasting (which outlines Dublin’s rainfall characteristics
and recommendations for a pluvial flood forecasting and warning system), and
Volume Two: City-wide Pluvial Flood Risk Assessment (for which climate
change has been considered for the 1% (annual exceedance probability (AEP)
event modelled for Dublin City), to help improve knowledge regarding the
following outstanding policy recommendations:
• A new time series rainfall should be produced which represents future rainfall
conditions; and
• A future stochastic rainfall time series should be produced to properly reflect
the projected change in seasonal rainfall pattern across the Dublin region.
Greater Dublin Regional Code of Practice for Drainage Works
• Extend the policy to control development in the natural flood plain of a river to
include that in areas with a high or moderate probability of pluvial flooding.
• Utilise pluvial flood models and maps produced by the Dublin FRC Project (refer
to Volumes Two and Four) to ensure all new development allows for climate
change (climate change has been estimated as approximately equivalent to a
0.5% or 1 in 200 AEP event).
• To enhance the long-term effectiveness of SuDS, commitments for ongoing
maintenance could be sought from developers at planning stage.
Relevance to Dublin City Council Development Plan Policies
• Prepare a Communications and Engagement Plan in order to improve

community and business awareness raising and education in pluvial flood risk
and flood risk management. Means to raise awareness could include information
provision through a dedicated website (possibly a section within the DCC
website) supported by guidance leaflets, as well as individual support to
businesses to assist their preparation of Business Continuity Plans. Raising
Awareness of pluvial flood risk within the council, partner organisations and with
the public should be a first step in encouraging community groups and property
owners to consider property level resistance and resilience and other measures,
and encouraging reporting and recording of flooding. The latter will facilitate the
gathering of evidence of a problem, which could be used to target resourcing
and funding in the future. Awareness raising would be an essential precursor to
effective flood warning and response.
• Introduce new pluvial-related polices, or alternatively edit those in place to
recognise pluvial flood hazard. Examples of a new pluvial-related policy and
objective are proposed as follows:

• Proposed new Pluvial Policy: To apply the principles of the sequential

approach and justification test as set out in the Guidelines for Planning
Authorities on Flood Risk Management, November 2009, published by
the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for
pluvial flood risk when assessing planning applications and in the
preparation of plans both statutory and non-statutory.
• Proposed new Pluvial Objective: To require all applicants, where
appropriate, to carry out an assessment of pluvial flood risk using the
principles of the sequential approach and justification test as set out in
the Departmental Guidelines on Flood Risk Management. The flood risk
assessment shall accompany the planning application and should be
sufficiently detailed to quantify the risks and the effects of any necessary
mitigation/adaptation, together with the measures needed to manage
residual risks. Local Area Plans or other land use plans or policies
drawn up by Dublin City Council under the Development Plan are also
subject to a flood risk assessment as appropriate applying the principles
of the sequential approach and justification test set out in these
Guidelines.
• To incorporate detailed pluvial flood risk assessments undertaken as part of the
Dublin FRC Project for the Pilot Areas (Volume Four), and any future detailed
pluvial flood risk assessments, to the relevant Local Area Plans, introducing
Flood Risk Management in all areas which have been flooded in recent years,
and areas where there may be a high risk of pluvial flooding.
• To require the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems in all new developments,
where appropriate, as set out in the Greater Dublin Regional Code of Practice
for Drainage Works supplemented by Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and
Adaptation Measures.
• Utilise the pluvial flood depth, velocity and combined hazard mapping produced
as part of the Dublin FRC Project (Volumes Two and Four) to help progress the
green infrastructure network and inform the design guide for new developments
to ensure the integration of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) in relation to
Taking in Charge Standards.
Green Infrastructure
• Utilise the Greater Dublin Regional Code of Practice for Drainage Works
supplemented by Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures
(Volume Three, Appendix V3-B) to investigate the potential for using parking and
other open space areas for ‘greening’, incorporating SuDS infiltration where
feasible, aggregated micro-storage potential etc.
1.4.2 Building Control
As noted in Section 1.1.2, the development of policy in this area is viewed as a

potential ’early-win’ measure to address pluvial flood risk across Dublin assuming that
changes in policy and guidance can be implemented relatively quickly and easily
(although the full benefit of this measure is incremental due to the incremental nature of
development). The implementation of the planning policy elements noted in Section
1.4.1 above will help empower Dublin City Council Planners to ensure pluvial flood
resilience/resistance requirements are incorporated into proposed building designs by
setting out the appropriate principles earlier in the spatial planning process. In the
absence of flood-related amendments to Building Regulations and associated
Technical Documents, this ‘early-win’ can provide a template for the Building Control
Division when inspecting features of design / materials / construction in areas

susceptible to pluvial flooding.
The use of vulnerability classes when classifying proposed land use and development
types for the purpose of the sequential approach will help specify some pluvial flood
resilience / resistance characteristics required of a development prior to application of
the building control process. For example, application of the Justification Test5 for a
proposed residential development (highly vulnerable) in an area with a high or
moderate probability of pluvial flooding (i.e. pluvial zone pA or pB) would need to
demonstrate appropriate access thresholds, SuDS and/or evacuation routes as part of
its suite of mitigation measures. Incorporation of such features into the building control
system will help ensure that these are developed, communicated and implemented
appropriately.
Amendments to the current Building Regulations and associated Technical Documents

would help ensure all design and construction practices are cognisant of flood risk. This
is specifically relevant to the incorporation of basement protection requirements, and as
pluvial flood risk becomes more embedded in the spatial planning system, developers
will become conditioned to provide protection against basement and underground car
park (or other below-ground infrastructure) flooding in all new developments. In the
absence of such amendments, Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation
Measures (Appendix V3-B; particularly Sections B6.1 and B6.2) can be used to
supplement the Technical Guidance Documents when inspecting the flood resilience /
resistance of buildings. Dublin City Council can also use this Code of Practice to
extend the application of Part M ‘Access and Use’ to include appropriate flood
evacuation routes as well as access for emergency services.
Increased public awareness of the causes of flooding and the methods of protection
will help to ensure that even the small developments / building modifications are
planned, designed and constructed with flood risk in mind.
To highlight the importance of flood risk, Commencement Notices could be edited to

include a ‘check box’ to confirm the consideration of potential flood risk for any
developments proposed in flood zones which are not considered ‘appropriate’ and
therefore should have undertaken some form of flood risk assessment (refer to Section
2 of Appendix V3-A for the definition of ‘appropriate’ development in this context).
Dublin City Council is active in their consultation with the Irish Insurers Federation (IIF).
It is recommended that this cooperation is maintained to support the insurance
industry's commitment to continue offering flood risk insurance to the vast majority of
homes and businesses in flood risk areas including areas at risk from pluvial flooding.
The findings of the Dublin FRC Project help to demonstrate that the routine
implementation of resistance / resilience measures at planning, design, construction
and/or modification stages are effective at reducing pluvial flood risk. Consultations
with insurance companies in this instance should include discussions relating to
discounts for properties using resilience / resistance measures.
While local authorities should have no role in determining insurance cover itself, they
should share a common goal with the Irish Insurers Federation to improve flood
mapping and provide the best available information to the public. The scope for making
properties more flood resistant/resilient as part of reinstatement following flooding
should also be examined as this could be a cost effective means of raising the overall
level of resilience especially in areas that may be at higher risk of pluvial flooding.
5
Refer to Appendix V3-A: Code of Practice 1 – Spatial Planning and Building Control for further
information on the Justification Test and pluvial zones

Disruption during implementation of measures would also be reduced if undertaken at

the same time as reinstatement.
The primary criteria which should be satisfied by the building control system is ‘how is
the proposed development designed to be safe during a flood and reduce risk to
people and the emergency services?’
Key learning outcomes from Section 1 with regard to Spatial Planning and
Building Regulations are as follows:
• The Spatial Planning and Building Regulations Code of Practice

(Code of Practice 1) that has been developed under the Dublin FRC
Project is introduced.
• The background to the development of Code of Practice 1: Spatial

Planning and Building Regulations (included as Appendix V3-A) is
outlined as well as recommendations for its application.
• The development of the Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and

Building Regulations is based on a review of existing national and
local policy and guidance documents, as well as other studies and
plans relevant to pluvial flood risk management in Dublin. It also
considers wider European guidance and practice. Details of this review
are outlined.
• The findings from these reviews are used to inform recommendations

for proposed policy to improve pluvial flood risk management. These
recommendations are focused on planning and building control
aspects.

SECTION 2 FLOOD RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION MEASURES
2.1 Introduction
Codes of Practice on ‘Spatial Planning and Building Regulations’ and on ‘Flood

Resilience and Adaptation Measures’ have been developed to support pluvial flood risk
management.
Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures introduced in the

following sub-sections, is presented in Appendix V3-B of this document. Code of
Practice 2 provides guidance on appropriate resistance / resilience measures to
address pluvial flood risk relevant to both new and retrofit properties.
Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations, introduced in Section 1,

is presented in Appendix V3-A of this document. Code of Practice 1 reviews existing
policy and guidance and outlines how pluvial flood risk assessment and management
can be integrated in the application of sustainable planning and building control
activities relevant to new and modified/extended developments in Dublin.
The following sections outline the background to the development of Code of Practice
2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures as well as recommendations for its
application.
2.1.1 Objectives
The specification for the Dublin FloodResilienCity (FRC) project sets out the specific
objectives for Code of Practice 2:
• Produce a Manual of corrective and adaptive measures which are to be suitable
for:
• Managing surface and overland flows; and
• Creating resilience in existing buildings.
• This Manual will provide examples of measures outlined, their effectiveness and
indicative costs.
2.1.2 Context
Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures relates closely to Code
of Practice 1 on Spatial Planning and Building Regulations and should be read in
conjunction with it. The consideration of both codes is fundamental to addressing
pluvial flood risk across Dublin City and development of an integrated pluvial flood risk
management strategy which will be underpinned by a pluvial flood forecasting and
warning system.
2.1.3 Approach
Preparation of Code of Practice 2 has been largely based on a literature review.

Discussions have also been held with Dublin City Council staff from relevant
departments. Literature sources include:
• Current guidance and good practice across Europe;

• Office of Public Works and other national agency publications;
• Work completed by European FRC project partners;
• DEFRA Surface Water Management Plan Technical Guidance (Appendix F);

The Code of Practice provided in Appendix V3-B makes recommendations for
providing information to ‘at risk’ properties to enable effective resilience and resistance
measures to be retro-fitted or included in a new property. Appendix V3-B also provides
guidance on various barrier flood protection products and other suitable systems.
Means to review and report on the level of consistency achieved in compliance with
guidance and in application and operation are considered.
For resistance and resilience measures relevant to existing buildings, Section B6.3 of
the Code of Practice provides an assessment template which can be made available
for properties in susceptible areas (where there is a need to determine risk factors and
options to mitigate pluvial flood risk).
A number of case studies documenting the implementation of successful measures in

some of the EU FRC partner countries are also included here.
In preparing Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures a number

of innovative techniques and approaches are considered which provide an opportunity
for added value for DCC (refer to Section 2.3.5 for further details).
It should be noted that justifying many of the resistance and resilience measures
economically may be difficult at a householder level assuming that householders have
insurance in place. However, with the increasing trend of flood insurance being limited,
particularly in known flood risk areas, some householders, if sufficiently informed, may
be more inclined to implement their own measures, whilst others will not have the
financial means to implement the measures or may simply accept the risk of flooding.
This has wider implications in terms of the strategic approach to encourage uptake of
such measures through flood resistance and resilience grant funding although this is
outside of the scope of the Dublin FRC study.
2.1.4 Adaptability
With all measures, whether at household level or larger scale more capital intensive
measures, there is need to consider adaptability in terms of resilience to climate
change uncertainty and to allow for future development.
2.1.5 Categories of Measures
Measures outlined in Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures

have been grouped according to the following categories:
• Generic and Early Win Measures – those which can be applied universally
across the whole of the Dublin administrative area and aim to raise the overall
level of resilience to pluvial flood risk.
• Community Flood Resilience Measures require engagement and participation
at community or householder level.
• Site Specific Measures are normally applicable only in areas of identified high
risk and likely to involve capital investment and ongoing maintenance
commitment.

2.2 Review of Relevant Guidance
2.2.1 Irish Guidance
Greater Dublin Regional Code of Practice for Drainage Works (V6-0): As described
in Section 1.2.3. Further information is available at:
www.dublincity.ie/WaterWasteEnvironment/WasteWater/Documents/Greater_Dublin_R
egional_Code_of_Practice_V6-0.pdf
Regional Drainage Policies - Overall Policy Document (March 2005): As described

in Section 1.2.3. Further information is available at:
www.dublincity.ie/WaterWasteEnvironment/WasteWater/Drainage/GreaterDublinStrate
gicDrainageStudy/Documents/Vol%201%20-%20Overall%20Policy%20Document.pdf
The Planning System and Flood Risk Management, DEHLG & OPW (November
2009): As described in Section 1.2.1.
Appendix B of these guidelines provide specific guidance on addressing flood risk
management in the design of development in flood risk zones.
Office of Public Works ‘flooding.ie’ website

Aims to provide practical help to all those homes or businesses which may be at risk,
and includes a library downloadable guidance leaflets such as ‘Making a home flood
resistant and ‘In the event of a flood’.
http://www.flooding.ie/en/
A tool for the Initial Assessment of the Surface Water Storage Volume
Requirements for a Site: This tool is available on the Irish SuDS website
(www.irishsuds.com/) which was developed to facilitate the implementation of the
Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage System policies and particularly the use of SuDS.
The tool enables stormwater storage requirements to be assessed for any specific
location within the Greater Dublin area.
Green Roofs Over Dublin, A Green Roof Policy Guidance Paper for Dublin,
Dublin City Council (2008): Draft guidelines for Dublin City Council to develop
planning directives for the incorporation of green roofs in new development.
Alive and Well, Bringing Nature Back into Building Design, Construct Ireland,
(2008): Article on green roofs and other emerging technologies and designs that use
nature to improve performance of buildings.
2.2.2 Irish / UK Guidance
Improving the flood performance of new buildings, Department for Communities

and Local Government (UK) (2007): This document provides guidance to developers
and designers (whilst also useful to useful to planners, building control officers and loss
adjusters) on how to improve the resilience of new properties in low or residual flood
risk areas by the use of suitable materials and construction details. These approaches
are appropriate for areas where the probability of flooding is low or areas where flood
risk management or mitigation measures have been put in place.
Specifically this guidance document provides:

• practical and easy-to-use guidance on the design and specification of new
buildings (primarily housing) in low or residual flood risk areas in order to reduce
the impacts of flooding; and

• recommendations for the construction of flood resistant and resilient buildings.
Benefits of Green Infrastructure, Report by Forest Research (October 2010): This

report discusses green infrastructure benefits in the context of climate change and
reducing flood risk, health and wellbeing, economic growth and investments, land
regeneration, wildlife and habitats, stronger communities.
Guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens, Department for Communities

and Local Government (UK), 2008: Provides advice to householders regarding the
options for achieving permeability for proposed hard surfaces. This is in response to
legislation that makes hard surfacing of more than fiver square metres of domestic front
gardens permitted development.
“Retrofitting Green Infrastructure for rainwater- what’s stopping us?” Report by

foundation for Water Research, Wastewater research & Industry Support Forum
(2011): Series of papers discussing the following: example of Portland as a pioneer of
sustainable storm water management, Urban greening in London, Opportunities for
Green Infrastructure in UK, SWMP for London Greater Area - Drain London project,
retrofitting surface water management measures, green roofs.
Guidance for Household-level Flood Protection Schemes, Environment Agency

(February 2011): Outlines the Environment Agency Flood Defence Grant scheme for
property-level flood protection. Discusses Eligibility and selection of communities,
process overview, quality standards of applied measures, process elements – funding
allocation, community engagement, house surveys, planning, building control and
heritage issues, product selection and procurement, agreement with beneficiaries,
reporting, post event performance, financial audit and liability.
Surface Water Management Plan Technical Guidance, Defra, (March 2010): This
SWMP guidance seeks to provide a simplified overarching framework which allows
different organisations to work together and develop a shared understanding of the
most suitable solutions to surface water flooding problems. Information is provided on
various measures and practices to mitigate surface water flood risk.
Design for Exceedance in Urban Drainage, Good Practice, CIRIA C635, (2006)
This guidance provides technical advice on the design and management of urban
sewerage and drainage systems to reduce the impacts from drainage exceedance. It
includes information on the effective design of both underground systems and overland
flood conveyance. Provides advice on risk assessment procedures and planning to
reduce the impact that extreme events may have on people and property within the
surrounding area.
The SUDS Manual, CIRIA C697 (2007): Technical Guidance on urban drainage,
environmental good practice, pollution prevention, sustainable construction, water
quality, urban hydrogeology, rivers and waterways.
Developing the Evidence Base for Flood Resistance and Resilience, Summary
Report, Defra / Environment Agency (2008): A key element of the project was the
examination of the effectiveness of property based resilience and resistance measures
in reducing flood risk. Primary focus of the research was on the application of flood
resistance and resilience to existing properties rather than new development.
Feasibility Study for Retrofitting Green Roofs, University of Sheffield (2005):

Design issues are looked at with a view to building onto existing roofs (retrofitting),

supported by calculations of typical and specific roof structures. A review is provided of

retrofit projects around the world, and U.K. cases are considered in more detail.
Preparing for Flooding – A guide for Small and Medium Sized Businesses in
Scotland, Scottish Flood Forum: Advice to business for Business Continuity
Management in the extreme weather events. Further information available on
www.scottishfloodforum.org
Forming a Flood Group, Scottish Flood Forum: Outlines good practice steps in
establishing community based flood action group to work on behalf of the local
residents and businesses in finding ways of minimising the effects of flooding. Further
information available on www.scottishfloodforum.org/flood-groups/
Local Community Flood Wardens, Scottish Flood Forum: Discusses the role of
community Flood wardens, flood watch, flood warning etc. Further information available
on www.scottishfloodforum.org
Flood Resistance and Resilience Solutions: R&D Scoping Study, DEFRA, (2007):
This document reports the findings of a short research study commissioned by Defra to
broadly determine the suitability and cost effectiveness of a variety of flood resistance
and resilience measures at property level, in particular, those that could be supported
through a potential future pilot grant scheme.
Retrofit SUDS, Cost Estimates and Decision-support Tools, Institution of Civil

Engineers, Sheffield (2007): This paper focuses on the construction costs associated
with a range of SuDS devices likely to be implemented in a retrofit context.
Green Infrastructure Valuation Toolkit, Natural Economy Northwest & Partners

(2010): This consists of a set of individual spreadsheet-based tools to assess the value
of green assets or projects across a wide range of potential areas of benefit – such as
climate change, health, or property values. Where possible, results are provided in
monetary terms.
2.2.3 FRC Partner and European Guidance
Project Developer’s Guide (PDG) for the Zollhafen Mainz development,

Stadtwerke Mainz AG, Heinrich Webler, IAHR European Congress Edinburgh
(2010): This framework enables developers to create a truly flood-resilient
development for the Zollhafen development area which is located within the Rhine
floodplain. It explains the obligations that have to be fulfilled in order to build and the
potential for innovative construction in a flood-prone area. For each site, the PDG gives
relevant excerpts from the development plan, a detailed description of requirements
and specifications relevant to its position in the Zollhafen development area. The
guidance includes reference examples of various approaches that have been applied
elsewhere including:
• Development on stilts; similar to the Bohte, Richter, Teherani project in
Hamburg;
• Temporary flooding of basement car parks; and
• Various examples of defensive systems (and their operational requirements).
A glossary is provided which indicates the suitability of materials, and their required
qualitative properties, for flood-adaptive building.

Flood Risk Management Guide (FRMG) for the Zollhafen Mainz development,
Stadtwerke Mainz AG, Heinrich Webler, IAHR European Congress Edinburgh
(2010): This takes the form of a brochure for people who will live or work in the new
Zollhafen development area. It answers 10 central questions about the flood risk and
its management. Topics covered by the questions include:
• Explanation of current and future flood risk;
• Advice on how to protect or adapt domestic power and water supplies,
communication systems and sewerage systems;
• How to protect moveable equipment;
• Insurance advice;
• Where to obtain further information on a predicted flood and on the warning
system which would be implemented;
• The role of the local authority;
• How to prepare for an approaching flood; and
• Actions to take during a flood and the functions of the relevant emergency
services.
Skills Integration and New Technologies (SKINT), Cases Studies: This Interreg IVB
project provides details of case studies such as:
• Solar City (Stad van de Zon), Heerhugowaard, Netherlands - sustainable
designed city;
• Wauchope Square Redevelopment, Edinburgh, Scotland – example use of
SuDS permeable pavement;
• Polderweijde, Obdam, Netherlands - example of design with excess water
storage facilities “waterbank”;
• Dunfermline Eastern Expansion. Dunfermline, Scotland - example of sustainable
urban water management of a large scale multi-purpose development site;
• Almere Poort, Netherlands, example of integrated water management where the
plan is linked to the specific circumstances of a deep polder 5m below sea level.
Further information is available at: www.skintwater.eu/
Construction in Flood-Prone Areas, Diagnosing and Reducing the Impact of

Flood Hazards Methodological Guide, Department of Loiret, CEPRI, France
(2010): French technical guide for the investigation and diagnosis of the vulnerability of
public or private buildings. It also provides a reference for communities wishing to
engage in the process of reducing the vulnerability of residential and public buildings
that have been built in flood zones.
Recommendations for the Establishment of Flood Risk Management Plans,

German Working Group on Water Issues of the Federal States and the Federal
Government (2010): As described in Section 1.3.1.
2.2.4 Other International Guidance
Sustainable Stormwater Best Management Practices, Environmental Services

City of Portland: Guidance on green stormwater management best management
practice developed as part of an ongoing program since the early 1990s. Green street
projects have been installed throughout Portland, and more are being planned
Retrofitting to form green streets has included landscaped curb extensions, swales,
planter strips, pervious pavement, and street trees to intercept and infiltrate
stormwater. Guidance includes specific advice for residents on at source stormwater
management and storage including rainwater barrels. Further information is available
on: www.werf.org/livablecommunities/studies_port_or.htm
City of Dallas Flood Roadway Warning System: The City of Dallas has implemented
a road signage system to provide real time information on actual and predicted road
closures due to watercourse and surface water flooding together with associated
guidance on this system. Information is provided for public access through the following
website: www.ci.dallas.tx.us/sts/html/fc.html
Flood Risk Management on Urban Surfaces (based on the Yucatan Peninsula,

Mexico), John Blanksby (2011): Presentation illustrating urban measures that
support the thesis that in regions where there are more frequent and extreme events,
the more exposure the general public have to them and the higher the awareness,
solutions become more obvious, people get to see them in action and benefits are
more apparent. Measures are easier to implement and “technical” solutions become
common sense.
City of Philadelphia Stormwater Management Guidance Manual The manual was

created to assist developers in meeting the requirements of the Philadelphia
Stormwater Regulations. It provides guidance for the entire site design process,
beginning with initial site design considerations, through the post-construction
stormwater management plan submittal elements, and ultimately the acquisition of
stormwater plan approval. Tools are provided to assist in completion and submittal of a
stormwater management plan. Further information is available on:
www.phillyriverinfo.org/programs/subprogrammain.aspx?Id=StormwaterManual
Technical Guidance on Implementing the Stormwater Runoff Requirements for

Federal Projects US Environment Protection Agency (2009) The guidance focuses
generally on retaining rainfall on-site through infiltration, evaporation / transpiration, and
re-use to the same extent as occurred prior to development. The guidance provides
background information, key definitions, case studies, and advice on meeting specific
federal requirements. Guidance is provided on rain gardens, infiltration planters,
vegetated swales, green roofs, pocket wetlands and rainwater harvesting.
www.epa.gov/owow/NPS/lid/section438/
Introduction to Urban Stormwater Management in Australia, Department of the

Environment and Heritage (2002). As part of the Living Cities Urban Stormwater
Initiative this guidance provides advice on water sensitive urban design with various
examples of Australian practice in stormwater management. Further information is
available on:
www.environment.gov.au/coasts/publications/stormwater/pubs/stormwater.pdf
Stormwater Management Manual, Government of Western Australia, Department

of Water (2007) Chapters include best planning practice for stormwater management,
issues associated with retrofitting to improve stormwater management in an urban
environment, and advice on education and awareness raising. Further information is
available on
www.water.wa.gov.au/Managing+water/Urban+water/Stormwater/Stormwater+manage
ment+manual/default.aspx

2.3 Scope and Application of Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and

Adaptation Measures
2.3.1 The Source-Pathway-Receptor (SPR) Model
Water that could flood properties and infrastructure in the Dublin urban area can arise
from multiple sources:
• from rainfall running off the urban area (pluvial flooding);
• exceedance of the capacity of the sewers;
• from rivers and local watercourses;
• tidal flooding from the sea; and
• flooding from dam or canal breaches though very unlikely.
Flooding in urban areas may be more complex than in rural areas, due to the
inadvertent modification of natural processes and flow paths. Streams may have been
culverted many years ago and their presence forgotten. Culverts, like storm sewers,
are unlikely to be sized for extreme events and once their capacity is exceeded the
roads, properties and other infrastructure built close to them may be damaged by
floodwater.
Drainage system capacities cannot easily be increased without increasing the flood risk
downstream. The challenge is to find ways in urban areas of replicating natural
processes that reduce flooding. Buildings cannot easily be moved out of the path of
water, but longer term planning can provide opportunities to replicate the natural
processes which reduce runoff and make space for water.
With pluvial/surface water flooding, the source of flooding, the impact and who should
be responsible for flood risk management are not always clear. Therefore, the
challenge is to create a framework in which all stakeholders can operate together to
reduce flood risk.
A common approach to assessing flood risk is to look at the ‘Source’, the ‘Pathway’
(route taken and mechanism of flooding) and the ‘Receptor’ (what is flooded). Runoff is
best controlled close to the source where it is easier to manage rather than further
along the pathway where volumes are much greater. Where surface water sewers are
separate from the foul sewer system, there are greater opportunities for storm water to
be managed on the surface. There are many areas of Dublin served by combined
sewers. It is therefore important that new developments use separate systems and do
not increase the load in the existing combined system.
Flood modelling and mapping identifies where flood water for different rainfall events is
likely to go. The opportunity exists now to develop measures to hold water up as close
to the source as possible, even on the roofs of buildings, or modify the routes where
surface water flows. The streets and open spaces could be reshaped to direct flood
water to safe places and hold it there until the peak flows in the drains and rivers have
subsided. This is referred to as the Streets-as-Streams / Roads-as-Rivers concept.
This can reduce flood risk to others further downstream.

2.3.2 Integrated Delivery and Long-term View
In many cases, the options to better manage pluvial/surface water flooding may not be
quick fixes, though some may be possible. The options need to be sustainable and
holistic addressing all sources of flooding and considering social and environmental
aspects. Such schemes are likely to be implemented:
• incrementally over time;
• taking advantage of opportunities as they arise with other development work or
maintenance; and
• through planning policy and control.
Options should aim to provide multiple and mutual benefits to all parties likely to be
impacted and all stakeholders that may benefit in order to share costs of
implementation of measures and/or gain support for implementation. As a principle,
options should seek to keep water on the ground surface rather than underground
wherever possible. Surface options are generally less expensive, easier to maintain
and provide more opportunities for social and environmental enhancement. This can
only be done by planners, engineers and political leaders working in an integrated way.
The relevance of shared space to integrate drainage is that planners should arrive at
the understanding that the space can be designed for a wider range of uses: not only
cars, wheelchairs, bikes and pedestrians but also for managing surface water and flood
risk by creating spaces for water to flow and to be stored safely. Conceptually, this
issue is common in social planning and also relevant to infrastructure related issues
where a large number of stakeholders need to take an integrated approach to solving
common problems. Solutions primarily require organisation, but also the
implementation of sustainable measures. Best practice examples are most evident in
cities where the organisational role is largely with a single authority that has the power
and leadership to implement policy, incentives and measures necessary for change.
It is evident that changes to infrastructure and its management need to be planned for
and implemented over the medium to long term and that all stakeholders need to be
involved throughout. There are a range of measures available related to controlling
surface water runoff at its source, along its pathway or ultimately at the location of the
receptor (refer to Appendix V3-B Code of Practice 2). However, the choice of and
delivery of a flood management option may depend on incentives, funding and
coordinating implementation.
It is important to note that flood risk can be reduced but never totally eliminated. It may
be more appropriate, at least in the short term, to ensure people are risk aware and to
issue flood warnings rather than implement engineered solutions. However, over time,
with effective planning and implementation of sustainable measures, flood risk can be
significantly reduced in a sustainable way.
2.3.3 Evaluation of Measures
Once individual measures to manage pluvial/surface water flooding are identified they
can be scored as an initial screening according to the following four criteria: technical,
economic, social and environmental benefits. Using this multi-criteria matrix approach,
a wide range of measures can be considered which will provide differing levels of
protection. These measures will have a range of benefits and costs associated with
them. The measures can be grouped according to the Source-Pathway-Receptor
model or under the broad category headings adopted in Code of Practice 2: Flood
Resilience and Adaptation Measures. An extract of a scoring matrix is shown in Figure

2.1 as an example of standard practice which can be applied. This type of matrix has
been applied for the Dublin FRC Project and is documented in Volume Four - Detailed
Pluvial Flood Risk Assessment of Pilot Areas.
Individual measures which pass this initial screening process can then be brought
together to form options. The evaluation of potential management options should
consider:
• previous studies;
• initial multi-criteria scoring analysis of measures;
• site inspection information;
• detailed modelling showing likely flow routes;
• consultation with stakeholders.
These options are then assessed using the same technical, economic, social and
environmental criteria to score and then prioritise them but in more detail than under
the initial screening phase.

Volume 3: Pluvial Flood Risk Management
Figure 2.1: Example Evaluation Matrix for Initial Screening of Measures

Volume Three: Pluvial Flood Risk Management
2.3.4 Responsibilities for Implementation
Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures (Appendix V3-B)

conveys how the responsibility for the implementation of measures is shared between
Government agencies / Municipality, developers and the community.
Community Flood Resilience Measures require individual or collective community

action to implement. Successful application of these measures will require:
• Raising the level of awareness of pluvial flood risk and providing readily
available and understandable information on the level of risk and likely
consequences of not taking action to mitigate this risk.
• Engagement by the community and householders such that they are motivated
to take ownership and responsibility for flood mitigation actions. This is likely to
require the preparation and dissemination of simple and clear self-help guidance
underpinned by a Community Engagement and Participation Plan (CEPP).
• A robust Flood Alerting System to initiate actions.
The preparation of the CEPP and appropriate guidance would be the responsibility of
Dublin City Council. Incentivisation, financial or otherwise, may be required to achieve
the necessary level of motivation for community groups and householders to initiate
actions. Ensuring consistency in the implementation of actions set out in an Action Plan
to address pluvial flooding issues is likely to be a challenge and the evaluation of
Community Resilience Measures should consider the extent to which lack of action by
any one individual or group might compromise the overall effectiveness of risk
mitigation e.g. if a householder did not take action to protect their property could this
pose a risk to the adjacent property where the householder has taken the appropriate
actions. For further information relating to community measures, refer to Sections B3,
B5 and B6 of Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures
(Appendix V3-B).
Dublin City Council will generally have lead responsibility (with other stakeholders) or
sole responsibility for implementation of many of the Generic/Early Win Actions and
also for Site Specific Measures which may require the development and
implementation of a capital works scheme. Responsibilities for implementation may be
spread across several departments within the Council and internal integration will be an
important aspect.
Once a programme of appropriate and cost effective measures/options has been

identified, implementation and delivery should be effected through a Pluvial Flood Risk
Mitigation Action Plan. The evaluation of specific measures/options and their relative
performance, cost and resourcing requirements will enable priority actions to be
established and thus, an overall programme for the implementation of actions to be
prepared according to those which should be short, medium and long term. It should be
note that some high priority SPR actions, though cost effective, may entail significant
capital cost and may need to be phased.
The Action Plan also needs to clearly establish responsibility not only for
implementation but also for ongoing maintenance associated with any action. The
Action Plan will not be sustainable unless funding mechanisms to meet both capital
and maintenance costs of measures/options during each phase are identified and put
in place. Where a measure/option requires further investigation in order to complete
evaluation this in itself can be identified as a specific measure in the Action Plan.

An example layout for a similar type of Action Plan prepared for a UK lead local flood
authority Surface Water Management Plan is shown in Figure 2.2. Note that
responsibilities for food risk management in the UK are different from those in Ireland.
However in the example Action Plan extract in Figure 2.2, the UK Met Office has
similar responsibilities to Met Eireann and the UK Environment Agency has some
similar responsibilities at a national level to the OPW in Ireland. Local Authority
responsibilities in the UK for local flood risk management relate to those of Dublin City
Council.

Figure 2.2: Example Extract of an Action Plan for a Pluvial Flood Risk Mitigation SWMP prepared for a UK lead local flood
authority.

2.3.5 Opportunities for Innovation
Specific measures or groups of measures (options) should wherever possible aim to

achieve multiple ‘wins’ across more than one sector. For example, in addition to the
primary benefits of flood risk mitigation and climate change adaptation further benefits
may accrue for:
• Climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration;
• Water quality enhancement in the receiving water;
• Environmental/biodiversity enhancement;
• Enhancement of regeneration potential;
• Amenity enhancement; or
• Recreational enhancement.
These wider potential benefits should be considered in the evaluation process. It may
be useful to adopt the FAB-Plus test in looking for and assessing multiple wins:
• Flood Risk Mitigation …..a ‘given’
• Amenity Enhancement
• Biodiversity Opportunity
• Plus…..
o Carbon reduction /sequestration
o Waste re-use
o Potential for Regeneration Uplift
o Recreational enhancement
o ………and others?
Looking for wider benefits is likely to encourage innovative thinking and a ‘joined-up’
approach involving the various relevant departments or stakeholders may facilitate this.
A number of innovative measures which take advantage of rapidly evolving technology

in communications and equipment are reviewed in Code of Practice 2: Flood
Resilience and Adaptation Measures (indicated by an asterisk in Sections B2.13, B3.7
and B4.11 of Code of Practice 2 (Appendix V3-B)). By definition, such measures are
unlikely to have been trialled (although components may have been). Pilot application
of such measures should therefore be considered and full implementation only rolled
out following satisfactory evaluation. The ‘Streets-as-Streams Roads-as-Rivers’
element of the Dublin FRC project will provide an opportunity for trial evaluation of
some of these measures and approaches.

Key learning outcomes from Section 2 with regard to Flood Resilience and
Adaptation Measures are as follows:
• The Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures Code of Practice

(Code of Practice 2) that has been developed under the Dublin FRC
Project is introduced.
• The development of the Code of Practice (included in Appendix V3-B)

is based on a review of existing national, European and international
practice to identify a wide range of Flood Resilience and Adaptation
Measures grouped under three categories:
o Generic and Early Win Measures
o Community Flood Resilience Measures
o Site Specific Measures
• The review includes guidance and best practice from Ireland, UK,
FloodResilienCity partners and other European countries, as well
further afield, predominantly from the US and Australia.
• The development of measures is linked to the Source-Pathway-

Receptor model, and the need for a range of measures to be
integrated is emphasised in order to have the maximum impact. The
positive impact of measures is also likely to be incrementally over time
through consistent application. The role of effective planning policy
and implementation is also emphasised.
• Opportunities for innovation should be explored, seeking solutions

which provide multiple wins, meeting the FAB-test:
o Flood Risk Mitigation
o Amenity Enhancement
o Biodiversity Opportunity


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EU Interreg IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Final Report – Dublin

Pluvial Flood Risk Management

Client: Dublin City Council

Originator Checked by Reviewed by Approved by

Ronnie Falconer & Kelly Kasperczyk Kelly Kasperczyk

Document Status: Issue to Dublin City Council

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Volume Three Pluvial Flood Risk Management

SECTION 1 SPATIAL PLANNING AND BUILDING REGULATIONS 1

SECTION 2 FLOOD RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION MEASURES 24

V3-A – Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations

V3-B – Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Dublin FloodResilienCity (FRC) Technical Report Volume Structure

Figure P1: Dublin FRC Technical Report Volume Relationships

Figure P2: Dublin FloodResilienCity Project Study Area

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Volume Three Structure

Section 1. This Section provides an introduction to Spatial Planning and Building

Section 2. This Section provides an introduction to Flood Resilience and Adaptation

Volume One - Rainfall and Forecasting:

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Volume Five - Pluvial Flood Alerting and Warning System Integration:

Sustainable Pluvial Flood Risk Management

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Hydro-meteorological A method for monitoring/forecasting conditions associated with flooding.

Isohyets A line joining points of equal precipitation on a map.

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

Ponding An area where runoff collects in a depression and cannot drain.

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

1D/2D One dimensional/Two dimensional

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

SECTION 1 SPATIAL PLANNING AND BUILDING REGULATIONS

Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations introduced in the

Code of Practice 2: Flood Resilience and Adaptation Measures is introduced in Section

The development of policy in this area is viewed as a potential ’early-win’ measure to

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

In researching and developing the policy elements, we have endeavoured to assess

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

1.2 Review of Existing Policy Documents for Relevance to Pluvial Flooding

1.2.1 National Spatial Strategy and National Guidance

National planning policy supports the consideration of flood risk management as an

In addition to providing guidance for planning authorities, the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines

The DEHLG/OPW Guidelines will revise and strengthen planning policy on

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

To facilitate the achievement of these principles, the DEHLG/OPW Guidelines identify

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

The DEHLG/OPW Guidelines define pluvial flooding as follows:

To supplement the pro-active approach to flood risk management initiated by the

The Code of Practice 1: Spatial Planning and Building Regulations presented in

1.2.2 Regional Planning Guidelines

Table 1.1: Regional Planning Guidelines strategic policy and recommendations

Plans and projects associated with flood risk management

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project

In addition, to the tabulated policy and recommendations, Green Infrastructure is

1.2.3 Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study (GDSDS)

The GDSDS Technical Documents identified (drainage-related) objectives to be

EU IVB FloodResilienCity Project