Reflecting Societal Values in Designing Flood Risk Management Strategies

Mark Adamson,John O’Sullivan,Zeinab Bedri

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/20160720013

Mark Adamson, John O’Sullivan + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20160720013

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Abstract

In 2006, the Office of Public Works (OPW) began the National Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme through a series of pilot studies. A Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) Framework was developed through the pilot studies that integrated a number of objectives related to a wide range of potential impacts and benefits into the core of process of appraising and selecting suitable flood risk management measures for a given area or location, and then for prioritising national investments for different schemes and projects. This MCA Framework, that provides a systematic process of developing a non-monetised but numerical indicator of benefit and impact, has since been implemented nationally in the preparation of the Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs). A key feature of the MCA is that it should represent societal values. To this end, nationally representative quantitative research was undertaken to determine global weights that reflect the perceived importance of each of the objectives for reducing economic, social and environmental / cultural risks in flood management strategies. Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), in conjunction with a pair-wise comparison of criteria relating to these risks, was utilised to determine weights. In excess of 1,000 structured interviews were completed where the relative importance of these objectives were assessed using a seven-point scale. The weighting given to each of the 13 specific objectives identified broadly followed expectations, with risk to people followed by risk to homes and properties being respectively the first and second most important, although some were given greater or less weighting than expected. The national application of the MCA Framework, using the weighted objectives based on this process, through the CFRAM Programme has generally lead to the identification of appropriate and, based on local consultation, acceptable options for each community.

Highlights

Background and ContextExcess water management in Ireland has historically been focussed on drainage for the improvement of lands for agricultural production, and more recently on structural flood protection schemes to reduce flood risk in urban areas
The assessment of which protection scheme would be most suitable for a community was based primarily on the economic benefitcost ratio, with environmental assessments undertaken in line with legislation to minimise environmental impacts, and public consultation undertaken to ensure that a proposed scheme would be acceptable to a community
This paper has described the background as to why an Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) approach has been developed and implemented in Ireland for the determination of appropriate flood risk management measures

Summary

Introduction

Excess water management in Ireland has historically been focussed on drainage for the improvement of lands for agricultural production, and more recently (since 1995) on structural flood protection schemes to reduce flood risk in urban areas. Among the recommendations of the Report were: Minimising the national level of exposure to flood damages through the identification and management of existing, and potential future, flood risks in an integrated, proactive and catchment-based manner,. Management Plans (FRMPs) That issues such as social and environmental impacts are considered in the planning of long-term management strategies and flood protection works To implement the adopted policy, the Office of Public Works (OPW), appointed as the lead agency for flood risk management in Ireland, developed the Catchmentbased Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. In 2005-2006, the OPW commenced pilot CFRAM projects to test the new process

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