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

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Hydraulic modelling: best practice (model approach)

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

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Represent river channels, floodplains and pipe networks (pathway)

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Represent buildings and infrastructure (receptor)

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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.

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

1. 21 December 2023

   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. 2 August 2023

   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. 10 November 2021

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

4. 13 August 2021

   First published.