Annex 1
York Flood Alleviation Scheme
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Update for
December’s Executive Decision Session
This is an update of the progress made over the last 8 months on the flood alleviation work in York, as well as providing information on the programme and expected timelines for delivering the remaining work. In this update we have provided:
1. Summary of activities across the Programme
2. Engagement highlights
3. Our response to Drought and preparing for Winter
4. Programme information tables
5. Map of the York Five Year Plan flood cell outlines
1. Summary of activities across the Programme
In June this year we celebrated completion of several of our City centre projects and achieving our target of better protecting over 2000 properties in York.
It was in response to the devastating floods of Boxing Day 2015 when 627 properties flooded in York, that the Government committed £38 million to upgrade the Foss Barrier, as well as £45 million funding to provide better flood protection to properties along the Rivers Ouse and Foss in the city.
In York, there are 18 areas of work across the city where flood defences are being constructed, including installing property level flood protection such as flood doors, temporary barriers, pumps and valves, which reduce the chance of flood water getting into a property.
The project milestone of better protecting over 2000 properties from flooding was marked at an event by the chair of the Environment Agency, Emma Howard Boyd.
Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency (2016-2022), said:
“York is a historic city which is no stranger to the effects of flooding. The upgraded Foss Barrier and flood defence work across the city will make people and businesses more resilient to future climate impacts. York has always managed to prosper through floods from its great rivers and as climate change makes the rest of the world more vulnerable to flooding York’s progress is a model.
“The Environment Agency’s work here continues and with further investments we are upgrading and creating new flood storage areas as well as installing bespoke property level protection to homes and businesses across the city. We are also working with partners upstream to find storage capacity and natural flood management opportunities in the Swale, Ure, Nidd and Ouse catchments.”
Floods Minister (2022) Rebecca Pow said:
“The completion of the upgrade of the Foss Barrier is an important day for the people of York. The government has provided more than £80 million for flood defences in York since the devastating flooding of Boxing Day 2015, helping to protect 2,000 homes and businesses from the impacts of climate change
“This is part of significant ongoing investment in flood schemes across Yorkshire, with over a billion pounds invested across the region since 2015 – more than any other part of the country.”
The Foss Barrier protects properties by stopping flood water from the River Ouse backing up along the River Foss after heavy rainfall, and was originally built in 1987.
The barrier continually protected the city including the floods of 1995, 2000, 2007 and 2012, but following the floods in December 2015 work started to improve it to help adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The upgrade included replacing the old gate, which was 8.5 metres wide and weighed approximately 16 tonnes, and the structure supporting the gate. A new replacement gate was air-lifted into place at the barrier in January 2021.
The mechanical and electrical equipment needed to control the barrier was also improved. Eight new high-powered pumps have now been installed, increasing the pumping capacity from 30 to 50 cubic metres per second. The Boxing Day 2015 floods saw 40 cubic metres of water a second travelling down the Foss.
The work has also included an upgrade to the pumping stations electricity supply and complex control equipment used to automate the operation of the pumping station and the permanent backup power supply from the onsite generators. The new back-up generators mean they can operate during a power failure.
Improvement work at the pumping station started in spring 2016, and now that it is complete means the Foss Barrier is now one of the most resilient flood defence assets in the country.
In addition to the upgrade of the Foss Barrier, completion of new flood defences around Memorial Gardens and North St, Lower Bootham, Marygate, the village of Bishopthorpe, Clementhorpe and the roll out of flood resilience products means that over 2,200 properties are now better protected against the risk of flooding.
With the majority of inner-city work near completion, attention will focus on completing PFR and major construction work on flood schemes at Clifton and Rawcliffe and the Foss flood storage area which will hold up to a million cubic metres of water during severe weather and together protect a further 740 properties.
2. Engagement highlights
On the 17th June 2022,
we hosted a visit in York to demonstrate and celebrate the
successes we have achieved to date following the floods of Boxing
Day 2015. The visit was attended by local councillors and Civic
Party, MP’s, EA Board Members and representatives from our
partner organisations.
3. Our response to Drought and preparing for Winter
Drought was officially declared for Yorkshire Area on 15th August. This due to a combination of low rainfall and high temperatures across most of the country. We remain in drought, despite the wet and unsettled weather that we have experienced in September and October.
Rainfall during September and October reached or exceeded normal for the time of year. Rivers in the Pennines are normal for time of year but in the east are still low. Yorkshire Water (YW) reservoir stocks have risen overall, however, are still low, at almost 34% full, whereas this time in 2021 they were at 64%.
Unsettled wet weather occurred throughout September and monthly rainfall totals throughout Yorkshire ranged from 85% to 141% of the long term average (LTA). Just eleven days in Sept accounted for 75% to 96% of the total monthly rainfall.
Despite this increased rainfall, below normal flows were recorded on the rivers Swale, Ure, Nidd and Ouse, ranging from 30% to 64% of the LTA.
What can you do?
Water is a precious resource and it is always helpful, in terms of future supplies and protecting the environment, for everyone to follow advice on saving water from their water company and use water wisely. The average person in England uses 140 litres per day. We all need to increase the amount of water we save to protect our natural environment and drinking water supplies.
Yorkshire Water’s top tips for saving water, energy and money include the following:
1. Only wash full loads in your washing machine or dishwasher
2. Use a bucket and sponge to wash your car, rather than a hose-pipe
3. Have a four-minute shower, instead of a bath
4. Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth
5. Install a water butt to collect rainwater for watering your garden
6. Water your garden early in the morning or in the evening, when it is cooler
As always, if people see any environmental impacts due to dry weather, such as low flows, fish in distress or algae blooms, please report it to the Environment Agency incident line on 0800 80 70 60 so we can investigate and minimise any potential impacts on the environment.
It is important to note that, should we have any intense rainfall on dry or compacted ground, it can run off quickly making river levels rise fast and cause localised flooding. So it is possible to have floods during prolonged dry periods.
Getting ready for Winter
Our Winter Seasonal Awareness campaign makes sure all duty officers are up to speed and have a shared picture of risk as we head into the colder months. In additional to national training, in York, field and duty officers have undergone familiarisation walks, test operation of assets and a check of trigger levels and operational instructions. Where we have brand new assets walk overs with our partners have also taken place. This is to ensure all are comfortable to operate new and existing assets properly and to optimal effectiveness.
Remember that even protected properties are still at risk of flooding
The City of York is largely covered by our Flood Warning system. This is a free service which gives notice of when flooding is expected so that you can be prepared or take any necessary action. To sign up for Flood Warnings please:
Call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or visit www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings
Find out your risk of flooding, and see what warnings are in force at any time by visiting
You can find useful tips on what to do should flooding threaten your home and valuables by visiting https://floodsdestroy.campaign.gov.uk
