To support management of the Environment Agency’s flood defences, PAMS will take a measured step forward in developing a performance-based approach for identifying and prioritising works needed to manage existing flood defences.  This approach will support the provision of improved inspection, operation, maintenance, and management of flood defence systems through the identification of appropriate management interventions to reduce flood risk.

To achieve targets set in the EA’s Strategy for Flood Risk Management, the PAMS system will consider the whole life cycle of systems (to secure the greatest return on investment) as well as maintenance, renewal, and replacement options with the goal of optimising the performance and effectiveness of the assets.

Organised in three phases, Phase 1 was a scoping study supplemented by case examples, and Phase 2 is currently developing and demonstrating the methodologies. Phase 3 will develop supporting manuals and software.  The PAMS project has provided a prototype system that is being trialled at a number of sites (such as the Thames Estuary) before operational implementation.

 

PAMS is funded by the Environment Agency research programme on flood defence and is being carried out under a Research Framework Agreement between HR Wallingford and the Environment Agency.

News

To see Future Project Board Meeting dates and planned telephone conferences, click here