Entec to help upgrade SEPA flood warning systems

Entec has been appointed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to provide support for upgrading their flood warning systems. This is part of a larger project funded by the Scottish Government to provide an active dissemination service of flood warnings for Scotland by March 2011.


The need to upgrade existing flood warning systems has arisen from SEPA’s desire to improve the standard of flood warnings currently being provided, ahead of the roll-out of the national flood warning dissemination service.

The objective is to provide new or improved flood forecasting models for a number of catchments where SEPA currently provides flood warnings. Entec’s role will be to support SEPA in a number of areas, including identifying the catchments where significant improvements in forecasting could be made based on the existing monitoring network and preparation of specifications for upgrades and tender documentation. Entec will also collate hydrometric data for use in model development and assist with the procurement and management of contractors to carry out the modelling work. The final stage will be to implement the new forecasting models within SEPA’s flood warning systems.

Entec’s Project Manager Steve Anderton said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside SEPA to deliver this important project to improve flood warning in Scotland and we’re confident that Entec’s experience in flood risk management will contribute significantly to its successful delivery.”

Michael Cranston, Principal Hydrologist at SEPA, commented: “This work is an essential part of SEPA’s efforts to deliver an effective flood warning service that helps the public, business owners and emergency partners respond to flooding events. It will also allow SEPA to deliver more targeted flooding information to communities in Moray and the Borders, including Elgin, Forres, Hawick and Newcastleton.”

ottish Environment Protection Agency is Scotland’s environmental regulator and adviser, responsible to the Scottish Parliament through Ministers. For more information on SEPA visit www.sepa.org.uk

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