Flood events are not always captured in a way that reflects what has actually happened. Where they are recorded, this is often reduced to a single point on a map. A pin to show where flooding was reported, where a call came in, or where an issue was observed.
That provides a reference point, but it does not show the extent of the event, which assets sit within the affected area, or how water has interacted with the network. As a result, important context can be lost, making it harder to understand impact, identify patterns, or build a clear evidence base for future action.
As part of our Flood Resilience development, we have moved beyond point-based reporting to capturing flood events as mapped extents. Instead of representing an incident as a single location, flood areas can be drawn and recorded as polygons, reflecting the actual footprint of the event.
This allows flood reports to be linked directly to the assets, ownership boundaries and risk areas that sit within that affected space. Rather than working backwards from a single point, teams can immediately see what has been impacted, how the event relates to the network, and where responsibility may sit.
The benefit is a more accurate and usable picture of flooding. Investigations can begin with a clearer understanding of scale and impact. Operational teams can identify which assets fall within known problem areas. Patterns can be identified over time, showing where flood extents repeatedly occur rather than where individual reports have been logged.
This moves flood data away from isolated records and towards a more spatial understanding of risk, reflecting how flooding actually behaves, not how it is simplified for recording. It also provides a clearer understanding of how flood events affect both communities and the wider network, creating a stronger foundation for how that insight is used in practice:
Supporting a risk-based approach, where repeated flood extents highlight where risk sits across the network and inform prioritisation, allowing assets within those areas to be targeted more effectively for cleansing, inspection and intervention.
Informing future mitigation, by clearly identifying areas of consistent or repeated flooding and providing the evidence needed to support further investigation or intervention.
Strengthening funding and evidence, by demonstrating the extent, frequency and impact of flooding in specific locations, enabling more robust and defensible cases for investment.