The Environment Agency has today appointed Hyder Consulting onto its Strategic Flood Risk Management Framework.

The framework - which has an annual spend of over £15M - sees Hyder provide flood modelling expertise on river and coastal areas as well as regions susceptible to ground and surface water flooding of the type seen so dramatically in the last few years.

Hyder's appointment to the framework follows environment secretary Hillary Benn's announcement in December that more than £60M will be invested in wide-ranging initiatives following the priorities identified in Sir Michael Pitt's review of the 2007 summer floods.

As local authorities will now be responsible for managing the risk of surface water flooding, and for producing co-ordinated plans for dealing with local flooding, they will be given access to the Strategic Flood Risk Management Framework.

Hyder Consulting is a leading water environment consultancy working with seven UK water plcs and several local authorities in flood risk areas.

The company has also undertaken strategic urban flood modelling in major cities including Dublin and Glasgow - and developed techniques combining surface and sewer flows, enabling planners to understand where these two flood sources interact and define areas of highest urban flood risk.

Hyder also advises water companies and international government agencies in Europe, Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In Romania, the company is currently developing a flood management plan for the north-eastern Prut-Barlad catchment, where serious flooding has occurred in recent years. The plan, supported by a multi-criteria cost-benefit assessment, includes hydraulic structures and land management measures to reduce rapid runoff.
 
Bob Sargent, Director of Water Environment at Hyder Consulting, said: "The floods of summer 2007 were devastating and affected many people's lives.

"Now, with record long-term Government investment, a clear commitment has been made to managing flood threats caused by sudden heavy rainfall.

"Our selection by the Environment Agency to the Strategic Flood Risk Management Framework is testament to our technical credentials and long track record of advising major UK water companies - we also consult on some of the world's most exciting water projects."