Guidance

River modelling: technical standards and assessment

Standards for the flood risk management industry on how to build and review hydraulic models and provide evidence for flood risk management decisions.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Environment Agency
Published
13 August 2021
Last updated
21 December 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

River modelling standards: who they're for and how to use them

HTML

Hydraulic modelling: best practice (model approach)

HTML

Estimate flood flow from rainfall and river flow data (source)

HTML

Represent river channels, floodplains and pipe networks (pathway)

HTML

Represent buildings and infrastructure (receptor)

HTML

Details

These standards are techniques that you can use in the fields of hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling. Use this best practice guidance to help you:

  • build hydraulic models using the source, pathway, receptor and model approach concept
  • review hydraulic models
  • maintain consistency across the flood risk management industry
  • improve the quality of your applications
  • plan and prioritise targeted model updates

Technical standards

These standards are also available as a PDF (LIT56326) that gives more background information for hydraulic modelling and uses technical and scientific language.

Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the PDF.

Fluvial model assessment tool

You can use the Microsoft Excel-based fluvial model assessment tool (LIT56342) alongside these standards. The tool will help you assess the quality of a hydraulic model without completing a full technical review.

Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the tool.

Updates to this page

Published 13 August 2021
Last updated 21 December 2023 + show all updates

  1. Updated 'Hydraulic modelling: best practice (model approach)'to link to new guidance on using modelling for flood risk assessments. Removed information on specific modelling software in the section 'software: find the appropriate platform for your model'. Added information on coastal modelling.

  2. The a template has been updated to the flood estimation report template. This change is within the section "complete a method statement". Also within section "include detailed reporting with flow estimation". The flow chart figure has been corrected. This is within the section "use the FEH statistical method: peak flood estimates".

  3. Revised guidance in Estimate flood flow from rainfall and river flow data (source) document.

  4. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page