Formal Incident Investigations
S19 Reports
Formal Incident Investigation
Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 places a duty upon the council as a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) to undertake investigations into flood events to the extent that it considers necessary. It is the Flood Defence & Coastal Protection (FD&CP) business unit that deliver this duty for the Authority.
When considering if it is necessary or appropriate to investigate a flood event within its area, the FD&CP business unit will review the severity of the incident along with the number of properties affected and the frequency of such an occurrence.
Current Welsh Government guidance is to undertake a formal S.19 investigation report when there have been 20 or more incidents of internal property flooding.
Kidwelly Flood Investigation Report
On the 4th and 20th October 2021 residents and business in Kidwelly were flooded in two separate, short, intense storms. Carmarthenshire County Council considers the incidents that occurred to be severe, and unfortunately, we can confirm that 41 residential properties and 7 business suffered internal flooding during these events.
An investigation has been undertaken by Carmarthenshire County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) in response to the flooding that occurred on these dates. That report has investigated the flooding that occurred and its findings are published below. This report is a summary of the investigation and includes relevant information required to meet the statutory requirements placed on the Authority by Section 19 of The Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
The report has specifically evaluated the flooding in the following areas
- Clos Yr Heleg and Parc Pendre,
- Llys Gwenllian,
- Cae Ffynnon and Ferry Road,
- Ger Y Castell and Ger Y Gwendraeth and
- Kidwelly Industrial Estate.
The report has recommended 28 actions, to be delivered by Carmarthenshire County and its partner organisations, to better manage flood risk in the area. Some of these actions have already been completed and others are already being implemented. While the Authority has no powers to compel other Risk Management Authorities and partner organisations to deliver these actions, we will work with them to ensure that the flood risk in Kidwelly is better understood and managed by all in the future.
Kidwelly Flood Investigation Report (5MB, pdf)
Formal Incident Investigation
Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 places a duty upon the council as a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) to undertake investigations into flood events to the extent that it considers necessary. It is the Flood Defence & Coastal Protection (FD&CP) business unit that deliver this duty for the Authority.
When considering if it is necessary or appropriate to investigate a flood event within its area, the FD&CP business unit will review the severity of the incident along with the number of properties affected and the frequency of such an occurrence.
Current Welsh Government guidance is to undertake a formal S.19 investigation report when there have been 20 or more incidents of internal property flooding.
Kidwelly Flood Investigation Report
On the 4th and 20th October 2021 residents and business in Kidwelly were flooded in two separate, short, intense storms. Carmarthenshire County Council considers the incidents that occurred to be severe, and unfortunately, we can confirm that 41 residential properties and 7 business suffered internal flooding during these events.
An investigation has been undertaken by Carmarthenshire County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) in response to the flooding that occurred on these dates. That report has investigated the flooding that occurred and its findings are published below. This report is a summary of the investigation and includes relevant information required to meet the statutory requirements placed on the Authority by Section 19 of The Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
The report has specifically evaluated the flooding in the following areas
- Clos Yr Heleg and Parc Pendre,
- Llys Gwenllian,
- Cae Ffynnon and Ferry Road,
- Ger Y Castell and Ger Y Gwendraeth and
- Kidwelly Industrial Estate.
The report has recommended 28 actions, to be delivered by Carmarthenshire County and its partner organisations, to better manage flood risk in the area. Some of these actions have already been completed and others are already being implemented. While the Authority has no powers to compel other Risk Management Authorities and partner organisations to deliver these actions, we will work with them to ensure that the flood risk in Kidwelly is better understood and managed by all in the future.
Kidwelly Flood Investigation Report (5MB, pdf)
Llansteffan Flood Investigation Report
Approximately 34 properties in Llansteffan were affected by flooding to various extents across the 2 storms over New Year in 2023/24.
The investigation carried out 3 stakeholder engagement sessions with affected residents in April 2024 and identified the key hydrological processes and events that led to the flooding of properties on the Green, upstream of the Green and at Ferry Point.
The investigation has also considered how the relevant Risk Management Authorities and emergency services responded during and after the flooding. A suite of recommendations is proposed to improve flood risk management in the area, build community resilience and review ongoing maintenance and operational activities.
Although the rainfall events on the 30th December 2023 and the 2nd January 2024 were not exceptional, 19mm and 32mm respectively, they were preceded by the wettest few months in Carmarthenshire in 189 years (NRW, 2024). This meant the ground was saturated prior to the New Year period leading to large volumes of surface water runoff being generated following rainfall on the catchment.
The flooding that occurred was generally the result of increased surface water flows entering various watercourses which could not cope and overtopped. Understanding the impacts that different land uses had on this is work for the future. Flooding was worsened by the fact that the key outfall draining the surface and flood water was buried under the beach and floodwater from the first storm wasn’t effectively drained ahead of the second storm.
Feedback from the public consultations highlighted that many residents felt there was a lack of co-ordination and information sharing between the responders CCC, NRW, DCWW and the Fire Service and they were not prepared for flooding, did not know what to do or who to contact.
The investigation report concludes with 10 actions relating to Flood Risk Management, 6 recommendations relating to Community Resilience, and 11 actions relating to Operation and Maintenance. CCC will manage the delivery of these actions via the multi-agency project group which they will continue to chair in the short term.
Llansteffan Flood Investigation Report
Approximately 34 properties in Llansteffan were affected by flooding to various extents across the 2 storms over New Year in 2023/24.
The investigation carried out 3 stakeholder engagement sessions with affected residents in April 2024 and identified the key hydrological processes and events that led to the flooding of properties on the Green, upstream of the Green and at Ferry Point.
The investigation has also considered how the relevant Risk Management Authorities and emergency services responded during and after the flooding. A suite of recommendations is proposed to improve flood risk management in the area, build community resilience and review ongoing maintenance and operational activities.
Although the rainfall events on the 30th December 2023 and the 2nd January 2024 were not exceptional, 19mm and 32mm respectively, they were preceded by the wettest few months in Carmarthenshire in 189 years (NRW, 2024). This meant the ground was saturated prior to the New Year period leading to large volumes of surface water runoff being generated following rainfall on the catchment.
The flooding that occurred was generally the result of increased surface water flows entering various watercourses which could not cope and overtopped. Understanding the impacts that different land uses had on this is work for the future. Flooding was worsened by the fact that the key outfall draining the surface and flood water was buried under the beach and floodwater from the first storm wasn’t effectively drained ahead of the second storm.
Feedback from the public consultations highlighted that many residents felt there was a lack of co-ordination and information sharing between the responders CCC, NRW, DCWW and the Fire Service and they were not prepared for flooding, did not know what to do or who to contact.
The investigation report concludes with 10 actions relating to Flood Risk Management, 6 recommendations relating to Community Resilience, and 11 actions relating to Operation and Maintenance. CCC will manage the delivery of these actions via the multi-agency project group which they will continue to chair in the short term.
