Threads / Flood Risk Management Planning Reform / Flood risk planning cycles
Policy Paper Published 18 May 2022 Environment Agency ↗ View on GOV.UK

Flood risk planning cycles

How the Environment Agency and lead local flood authorities manage flood risk by following a 6 year cycle of planning.

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The Environment Agency is responsible for managing flood risk from:

  • main rivers
  • the sea
  • reservoirs

Lead local flood authorities are responsible for local sources of flood risk, in particular:

  • surface water
  • groundwater
  • ordinary watercourses

To manage flood risk both the Environment Agency and lead local flood authorities must follow a 6 year cycle of planning. The planning stages are:

  • complete a preliminary flood risk assessment and identify flood risk areas
  • prepare flood risk maps and flood hazard maps for rivers, the sea, surface water and reservoirs
  • prepare flood risk management plans (FRMPs)

Each stage is completed for all river basin districts in each cycle.

Additional information

Read the Flood Risk Regulations 2009.