Who is responsible for managing flooding in the district?
Cambridgeshire County Council is the Lead Local Flood Authority and is responsible for managing:
-
surface water flooding, including rainfall that runs off surfaces such as roads, roofs and patios
-
groundwater flooding, including flooding caused by long and heavy rainfall that increases the groundwater table
-
flooding from ordinary watercourses such as drains and ditches, but excluding main rivers.
Flooding from rivers is dealt with by the Environment Agency.
We are responsible for maintaining some watercourses and ensuring that owners of land next to watercourses keep them free from obstruction. Maps of the watercourses we are responsible for can be viewed at Pathfinder House, Huntingdon .
Am I at risk of flooding?
View current river and sea levels
View risk of flooding from surface water
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment
The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for Huntingdonshire (SFRA) evaluates the extent and nature of the risk of flooding in the district. It also considers the implications for land use planning and sets out the criteria for submitting future planning applications and guiding development management decisions.
Please go to the SFRA page to view the report, map and detailed site assessments.
Preparing for a flood
We advise residents living within flood risk areas to:
- monitor the Environment Agency website for flood warnings
- review information on preparing for a flood, including making a flood plan
- purchase sandbags from local DIY shops in advance.
Sand Bags
We only maintain a limited stock of sandbags and there is no guarantee that we will be able to provide sufficient sandbags, or resources to deliver them in time, to prevent flooding of properties or that the sandbags will prevent any flooding.
We only provide sandbags if your property (domestic properties only) is in imminent danger of flooding (ie the flood water is within a few inches of the entrance to the living area and is still rising). If this is the case, call 01480 388388 (or our emergency phone, out of hours)
An officer may visit to assess the situation before we decide if we are able to provide sandbags.
Sandbags will not be provided to prevent flooding of gardens, sheds or outbuildings.
What should I do if my property floods?
If your property floods:
-
call 999 and ask for the fire brigade
-
switch off the gas and electricity supply if safe to do so – do not touch your electricity source when standing in water!
-
move any high-value items to high ground
-
try to move carpets and furniture to high ground
-
put any medication in a watertight bag and keep it with you
-
pack a bag of clothes and toiletries in case you are evacuated.
See GOV.UK's page for more information: Prepare for a flood and get help during and after.