Flood risk management annual report 2025-26

Foreword

This annual report summarises the range of activities undertaken by Natural Resources Wales in managing the risks from flooding in Wales, in 2025/26.

Text to come from Rachel Sion.

Jeremy Parr

Head of Flood and Incident Risk Management, Natural Resources Wales

Executive summary

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is the largest Welsh Government Sponsored Body, and we have as our core purpose the sustainable management of natural resources in Wales.

We have a range of roles and responsibilities, ranging from regulator to advisor, landowner,  asset manager and emergency responder. We have a strategic oversight role for flood and coastal erosion risk management which involves the general supervision and communication of flood and coastal erosion risk management in Wales. We also have powers to manage flooding from main rivers, reservoirs, and the sea.

In Wales, there are estimated to be 275,000 properties at risk of flooding. This is approximately 1 in 7 properties in Wales. We take a risk-based approach to managing the risk of flooding through the activities we do. This report summarises the investment, key activities, and achievements in managing flood and coastal erosion risks across Wales by NRW for the financial year from April 2025 to March 2026.  It is based on the best available information at the time of writing (Spring/summer 2026).

Some of key highlights from 2025/26 include:

• Investment of £46.5 million of Welsh Government funding on key flood risk management activities.
• Sustained the level of flood risk to 1,040 properties through the wide range of Capital Maintenance projects funded by our capital programme.
• Made significant progress on several major schemes that are at various stages of development and will form the majority of our future years capital expenditure. Including Pwllheli and Porthmadog (Gwynedd), Cardigan (Ceredigion) and River Ritec, Tenby (Pembrokeshire).
• Continued working towards delivery of measures from the Welsh Government Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy.
• Delivery of improvements to our prioritisation of our routine asset maintenance programmes through the introduction of a new risk based approach.
• Delivery of three new flood forecasting models for the Upper Wye, Lower Wye and Cadoxton.
• Delivery of our #BeFloodReady campaign and flood volunteer network event.
• Continued development of our £6m investment project to deliver our new Telemetry system, Tanio.
• Continued our work with our partners on the joint Reservoir Safety Reform Programme to develop a set of new proposals on reservoir safety.
• Delivery of the latest Section 18 report covering Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management from 2023 to 2025 to the Welsh Government.
• Delivery of Natural Flood Management in the River Ely catchment.

Further information on all of these highlights, plus other key achievements, is included in this report.

Introduction

This annual report details our key achievements and deliverables for flood and coastal erosion risk management for the financial year 2025/26. It provides detail on the activities that contribute towards the management of flood risk in Wales and also highlights key metrics and statistics which demonstrate the level of effort that goes into managing flood risk and the scale of the challenge faced.

This report does not cover every activity or service area in detail and is intended as a summary of the 2025/26 financial year highlights.  The information and data presented in this report is based on data available at the time of producing this summary (spring/summer 2026). This report is a recurring annual publication and forms part of the next progress report on the Welsh Government Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy (the ‘Section 18 report’, required under Section 18 of the Floods and Water Management Act).

Storms and flooding experienced over the past year (April 2025 – March 2026)

Each year, we plan the work we want to deliver to proactively manage flood risk. On top of that, we must respond to flood events when and where they happen. Our response leads to  reactive work to manage the flood event at the time, and it may generate additional work that we need to deliver to address the more long term issues that emerge. This section provides a summary of the more notable flooding and storm events during the year that we responded to, including those that caused significant disruption or damage to communities.

We monitor and respond to floods whenever they happen - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This includes tracking forecasts, issuing warnings, ensuring flood defences and hydrometry assets are operating properly, posting up-to-date information on our website, handling media interviews and queries, supporting other incident responder organisations and fixing damage caused to defences after storms. When an event occurs it clearly impacts our ability to deliver other planned work as we react to the challenges each severe weather event introduces, both during and in the period following these events, as we deal with the impacts and the aftermath.

Storms and flooding 2025/26

Autumn 2025 was very wet and mild with temperatures and rainfall above average. Wales recorded its tenth wettest Autumn since records began in 1836 with 37% above average rainfall. This unsettled pattern continued into the winter with Wales experiencing heavy rainfall event after heavy rainfall event, offering little respite to river catchments, people at risk or NRW staff responsible for responding to flooding incidents. Elevated flood risk is highlighted through the Flood Guidance Statement which provides a daily flood risk forecast for the next 5 days to Government and professional partners to assist with strategic, tactical, and operational planning decisions around developing flood risk. The information is also shared with the public through our website. From April 2025 to March 2026, there were 140 days of elevated flood risk (minor forecast impacts and above) and within those, 33 days of heightened flood risk (significant forecast impacts and above).  The number of days of elevated and heightened flood risk indicates how busy a period this was for our staff involved in flood monitoring, warning and incident response. 

The flood risk matrix below shows the criteria for identifying if there will be elevated or heightened flood risk and is used to shade the Flood Guidance Statement. The barcode graph below is a summary of risk from each day.

Figure 1: Flood risk matrix which shows the criteria used for predicting the flood forecast for each day through the Flood Guidance Statement. Each day in the barcode graph below corresponds to this matrix.

Figure 2: Barcode showing the flood risk forecast for Wales for the 2025/26 financial year. There is a line for every day of the year, shaded according to the forecast flood risk.

Summary of potential impacts

Minimal

• Isolated and minor flooding of low-lying land and roads
• Isolated spray/wave on coastal promenades
• Little or no disruption to travel, but wet road surfaces

Minor

• Localised flooding of land and roads
• Flooding affecting individual properties
• Disruption to travel and key sites in flood plans

Significant

• Flooding affecting parts of communities
• Possible danger to life and damage to buildings/structures
• Disruption to travel and key sites in flood plans

Severe

• Danger to life, severe disruption to travel
• Widespread flooding affecting whole communities
• Widespread disruption or loss of infrastructure
• Large scale evacuation of properties possible

The section below describes the storms that had flood impacts in Wales between April 2025 and March 2026.

Un-named storm: 4 November 2025

Very heavy rainfall led to a major incident being declared by Dyfed Powys police for parts of west Wales. Severe property flooding occurred which resulted in people being rescued by the fire service in Whitland, Carmarthen, Kidwelly and St Clears with property flooding also being reported in Pontygothi, Ferryside and Saundersfoot. A severe flood warning was issued for Kiln Park holiday park in Tenby where a number of guests had to be rescued from the park. There was also widespread travel disruption to road and rail and schools closed across Carmarthen and in Pembroke. In total, 86 residential and 8 business properties were reported as flooding across South Wales and Ceredigion.

Storm Claudia: 14-15 November 2025

Storm Claudia was part of a longer spell of unsettled and very wet weather for the UK in the first half of November, with very mild, wet weather dominated by a succession of Atlantic low pressure systems and weather fronts.

Named by the Spanish meteorological society, Storm Claudia caused heavy rain and strong winds in Spain and Portugal before reaching the UK. Storm Claudia caused widespread travel disruption across Wales and severe flooding in Monmouth from the river Monnow, a tributary of the River Wye. A major incident was declared in the early hours of Saturday 15 November after 50 to 75mm of rain fell across large areas of east Wales, with 75 to 100mm locally leading to record river levels in the River Monnow. Tafalog rain gauge in the Wye catchment recorded 120mm of rain in a 28 hour period.

Figure 3: River levels recorded for the Monnow at Monnow Gate from 14/11/26 to 16/11/26 during Storm Claudia

Several severe flood warnings were issued as river levels rose to 18 times the normal level and flood water inundated Skenfrith and Monmouth town centre. A multi-agency response was required to rescue residents, with significant flood impacts in both locations. Approximately 250 residential and business properties were flooded across Monmouthshire, marking the most severe and widespread flooding in living memory. Elsewhere in Wales, around 50 properties were reported to have flooded across South East Wales and Denbighshire.

Figure 4: Flooding in Monmouth town centre 15 November 2026. Photo taken by NRW operational staff responding to the flooding

Figure 5: Flooding aftermath at Homeforge House, Monmouth. Photo taken by NRW staff

Unnamed storm: 1 December 2025

Heavy rainfall falling on already saturated ground led to widespread flooding of roads and low lying areas in West Wales with Pembrokeshire particularly badly affected. Roads around Pembrokeshire were closed due to being impassable from flood water and the Kiln Park car holiday park in Tenby was closed due to flooding. 

Storm Bram: 8-10 December 2025

Storm Bram brought prolonged rainfall and high winds across Wales that led to widespread transport disruption, power outages and very high river levels. While rainfall totals from this event were not exceptional, there were concerns over possible flooding impacts due to the prolonged spell of unsettled weather during November and early December resulting in saturated ground and rivers running high. Rivers in West Wales were very high as a result of Storm Bram and caused isolated property flooding in areas such as Pontygothi, Carmarthen. 

Unnamed storm: 14-15 December 2025

Multiple areas in Wales were hit with heavy and persistent rainfall on already very wet catchments. The Met Office issued an amber weather warning for heavy rainfall and multiple flood warnings and flood alerts were issued. Properties were flooded in the Briton Ferry area of Neath Port Talbot from surface water and multiple roads and train lines faced disruption from flooding. 

Storm Chandra: 26 January 2026

The month of January 2026 continued with the theme of late 2025 with unsettled and very wet weather. Storm Chandra followed two other low pressure systems bringing widespread heavy rain, with rainfall totals of up to 30mm widely and up to 80mm on higher ground. There were reports of isolated property flooding in the Monnow catchment.

Understanding and analysing flood risk

This work area includes all efforts to increase the understanding we have of flood risk in Wales, mainly through our hydrological analysis and flood risk modelling activities. It also includes how we communicate that flood risk to stakeholders through our flood mapping products and website services. Its purpose is to increase our understanding of flood risk, to inform and advise all our other activities, and to inform stakeholders of their relevant flood risk.

We have powers to manage flooding from main rivers, our reservoirs, and the sea. We also have a strategic oversight role with general supervision over all Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management matters. This is about having a Wales-wide understanding of all sources of flooding, coastal erosion and the risks associated with them, on a consistent basis to provide advice to the Welsh Government as well as helping inform risk management authorities and the public. As part of our oversight role, we undertake national flood and coastal erosion risk mapping for all sources of flood risk.

What’s at risk of flooding in Wales now?

As of April 2025, the undefended sum of properties at risk of flooding in Wales is 342,436. Some properties may be at risk from more than one source and therefore removing any double or triple counting of properties at risk from multiple sources there are approximately 275,000 properties are at risk of flooding in Wales. Tables 1 to 3 below show the breakdown by flood source, type of property and flood risk band.

We have made improvements to our knowledge and understanding of flood risk which has led to changes in the way in which we model and calculate properties at risk of flooding. This, along with including static caravans in our counts for the first time, has led to numbers of properties at risk of flooding increasing since the last major update was performed.

The following tables show the split of properties by level of risk and source, correct as of April 2025. The properties at risk information is updated every two years with the next update due in summer 2027.

Flood risk description	Residential properties at risk of flooding	Non-residential properties at risk of flooding	Key services* at risk of flooding	Total at risk of flooding
Rivers High	25,126	3,074	787	28,987
Rivers Medium	17,172	2,528	486	20,186
Rivers Low	48,804	7,028	1,472	57,304
Rivers total	91,102	12,630	2,745	106,477

Table 1: The numbers of residential properties, non-residential properties, and services at risk of flooding in Wales from rivers.

Flood risk description	Residential properties at risk of flooding	Non-residential properties at risk of flooding	Key services* at risk of flooding	Total at risk of flooding
Sea High	56,759	5,913	1,194	63,866
Sea Medium	13,638	2,097	458	16,193
Sea Low	9,884	1,429	335	11,648
Sea total	80,281	9,439	1,987	91,707

Table 2: The numbers of residential properties, non-residential properties, and services at risk of flooding in Wales from the sea.

Surface water and small watercourses	Residential properties at risk of flooding	Non-residential properties at risk of flooding	Key services* at risk of flooding	Total at risk of flooding
High	34,977	3,877	1,015	39,869
Medium	18,057	2,188	533	20,778
Low	74,042	7,562	2,001	83,605
Total	127,076	13,627	3,549	144,252

Table 3: The numbers of residential properties, non-residential properties, and services at risk of flooding in Wales from surface water and small watercourses.

*Key services include property types related to education, health services, transport, utilities and emergency services.

We have a number of projects ongoing to help improve our understanding and communication of flood risk and these are described below.

What’s at risk of flooding in Wales in the future?

Across Wales, there are predicted to be over 131,000 properties at risk of flooding from the sea and nearly 131,000 properties at risk of flooding from rivers by 2120. This is an increase of nearly 40,000 properties at risk of flooding from the sea and an increase of over 24,000 properties at risk of flooding from rivers from present day. There will also be over 48,000 more properties at risk of flooding from surface water and small streams.

Climate projections indicate that we will see an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including storm events in the Summer and prolonged wet periods during the Winter period. This will increase peak flows in our rivers, which is expected to increase the risk of flash flooding events. Such flooding is very difficult to forecast and predict and can be very challenging to manage.

Climate projections also indicate that sea level rise will occur for all emission scenarios and at all locations around the UK. Coastal areas will be increasingly vulnerable to increased wave action and accelerated coastal erosion associated with climate change. These impacts will affect not only coastal communities who live and work in coastal areas, and infrastructure situated on the coast,  but will also affect the many important natural habitats and heritage sites which are located along our coastline. 

Of course, climate change projections are not certain and are typically presented in a range of values. We have calculated future flood risk based on the Welsh Government Adapting to Climate Change Guidance, and for simplicity we have used the central climate change estimates to produce the results displayed here. Please note, for our detailed modelling for flood risk schemes, particularly at a local level, we will model a range of scenarios.

The following tables show the level of risk and source across Wales if there were no defences present for 2025 and 2120. This data is correct as of April 2025.

Flooding from rivers	Residential	Non-residential	Key services*	Total
2025	91,102	12,630	2,745	106,477
2120	112,032	15,556	3,381	130,969
Difference	+20,930	+2,926	+636	+24,492

Table 4: shows the numbers at risk of flooding from rivers for 2025, 2120 and the projected difference across Wales.

Flooding from the sea	Residential	Non-residential	Key services*	Total
2025	80,281	9,439	1,987	91,707
2120	113,735	14,421	3,345	131,501
Difference	+33,454	+4,982	+1,358	+39,794

Table 5: shows the numbers at risk of flooding from the sea for 2025, 2120 and the projected difference across Wales.

Flooding from surface water and small watercourses	Residential	Non-residential	Key services*	Total
2025	127,076	13,627	3,549	144,252
2120	170,661	17,413	4,679	192,753
Difference	+43,585	+3,786	+1,130	+48,501

Table 6: shows the numbers at risk of flooding from surface water and small streams for 2025, 2120 and the projected difference across Wales.

*Key services include property types related to education, health services, transport, utilities and emergency services.

Flood Risk Assessment Wales (FRAW) data management project

The FRAW Data Management programme delivered targeted improvements this year to improve data quality and increase the accuracy of NRW’s flood risk evidence base. Additionally, requirements gathering work started for the replacement to Flood Risk Assessment Wales, anticipated to start development in 2027.

Updating the Wales flood map

The Wales flood map was updated in May and November 2025 for rivers, the sea and TAN15 Defended Zones in line with the Welsh Government Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy requirement for it to be updated every 6 months. A number of locations around Wales have been updated with improved modelling information including; the Rhondda catchment, the river Lwyd and various rivers in the Clwyd area.

Surface and small watercourses approach

We continue to work to improve our processes so that we are able to update the surface water and small watercourse layer on the Flood Map more frequently. The improvements mean that Risk Management Authorities with better data or models can now have these incorporated making for a more accurate Flood Map.

Climate Change Allowances

We have worked with Welsh Government to update the Climate Change guidance for use in Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Schemes and for Development Management Purposes.  The updated allowances were published on 20 March 2026 and include updated allowances for peak river flows and extreme rainfall events based on outputs from UKCP18. The guidance also provides sea level rise values around the coast of Wales up to 2130. 

The revised allowances demonstrate an anticipated increase of between 5 and 10% for peak river flows and a 10% uplift in rainfall allowances (based on the central estimate of climate change) over the next century. The changes to sea level rise are mainly due to an additional decade of allowances being accounted for in the data. 

Application of the revised allowances will help Risk Management Authorities, developers and decision makers better understand the impacts of climate change on flood risk across Wales. Now this information has been published, we are considering next steps in terms of updating our Flood Map products.

Local modelling improvements

We have progressed a number of local modelling improvements over the past year. These include projects to improve modelling at the following locations: the River Ely at Pontyclun (Rhondda Cynon Taff), the Severn Vyrnwy Confluence (Powys), Afon Gele (Denbighshire) and the Afon Ganol (Conwy).

Management of flood risk assets

This work area includes all activities in relation to the management of our flood risk defence structures or assets. This includes the construction of new flood alleviation schemes, maintenance of existing structures, understanding their condition, management of asset data and the planning for future work requirements. The purpose of managing assets is to ensure the effective and efficient management of the flood assets we maintain to help protect communities at risk of flooding, seek opportunities to reduce flood risk through construction of new assets and ensure our assets are ready and able to perform as expected in times of flooding.

The way in which we manage our assets is set out in our Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) document and is illustrated by the image below.

Figure 6: Illustration showing the asset life cycle

Plan - how we plan our asset management work

Asset Management Plans

After publishing our Strategic Asset Management Plan in March 2025, we have made further progress this year as part of the wider Flood Risk Asset Management System (FRAMS) project to align the way we manage our assets with industry standards. 

This year has involved the development of digital Asset Management Plans (dAMPs) which will be launched later in 2026. dAMPs will be the planning tool for our existing FRM assets. We have developed these plans using Power BI software, enabling them to draw on live asset data and ensuring that information remains current. This will support timely, consistent and evidence-based decision making for managing our FRM assets. 

Medium Term Planning (MTP)

Asset information held in dAMPs will feed our medium term planning for capital funded maintenance. As well as current financial year forecasts, our more significant capital projects provide future year forecasts which allows us to assess our future funding requirements. The process begins with the creation of Place based MTP’s which is a list of projects that are needed. The drivers for these projects are wide ranging and include modelled flood risk, asset failure, flood history, health and safety and statutory duties. Once projects are allocated specific project management resource with a business case in development, they then feed into the National MTP which outlines the significant schemes being delivered by NRW over the next 5 years and beyond. The current MTP features locations such as Porthmadog, Tenby, Cardigan and the Taff Catchment Strategy. 

Risk Based Planning Model

In previous years we have developed a tool to help us focus our routine revenue funded  maintenance plans according to greatest flood risk. We call this tool our Risk Based Revenue Allocation Model (RBRAM).

This year we continued to embed and improve RBRAM with analysis on key parts of the risk based model. This built on work we’ve already undertaken to understand key data issues, processes and assumptions used by the model to target improvements. Further analysis is ongoing with plans to implement them into the next RBRAM assessment for financial year 2027/28.

This improves our risk based planning by improving the data we use to decide on target maintenance areas.

RBRAM utilises our asset information database AMX Flood. The aim of this work is to prioritise routine asset maintenance and allocate funding in a more efficient and effective, risk-based, way. It considers factors including the level of risk, the criticality of undertaking certain actions, the economics of each action and whether there are other drivers for our work, including legal commitments.

Throughout this year we have also continued to improve the guidance, standards and specifications in relation to this work. As we capture more data from the delivery of our maintenance work we are continuously improving the evidence and assumptions made by the model.

This work will enable us to ensure our maintenance is prioritised on a risk basis, ensuring we deliver the best value for money through our works whilst also ensuring that maintenance obligations are met.

Building new assets – reducing the risk to communities

Investing in our existing flood risk assets is vital in order to maintain the standard of protection they currently give to the communities which benefit from them. The investment is typically needed to extend or achieve the assets expected design life and typically includes significant repairs and refurbishment of existing structures.

We have made significant progress on several major schemes that were at various stages of development during 2025/26. These schemes will form the majority of our future years capital expenditure and include locations across Wales such as Pwllheli and Porthmadog (Gwynedd), Cardigan (Ceredigion), River Ritec, Tenby (Pembrokeshire) and a Taff Catchment Strategic Flood Management Plan (Merthyr, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Cardiff). In the long term, these are expected to benefit over 3,000 properties when they are completed.

Case study – Flood alleviation scheme at Chapel Reen, Gwent Levels, Monmouthshire

Chapel Reen outfall is in Goldcliff within the Caldicot Levels, approximately 5km to the east of Newport. It carries the Chapel Reen from its fluvial catchment on the Caldicot Levels into the Severn Estuary. The asset reduces flood risk to Goldcliff by restricting the movement of estuarine water from the Severn Estuary into the reen system. The asset forms part of the sea defence embankments that line the Caldicot Levels at this location. The site is particularly sensitive as it has many environmental designations and is located alongside the Wales Coastal Path.

Chapel Reen outfall is adjacent to Newport Wetlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Nash and Goldcliff SSSI. There are a range of aquatic plants and invertebrates associated with the reens and ditches of the drainage system, including rootless duckweed, hair-like pondweed, the Great Silver water beetle and the Shrill carder bee. Saltwater ingress or prevention of reen drainage into the Severn Estuary would have a negative impact on some of the designated features of these SSSIs.

There were serious concerns that should the condition of the retaining walls deteriorate further that the channel could become fully blocked, preventing the release of fluvial flows from the Chapel Reen catchment on the Caldicot Levels and increasing the risk of flooding to local properties. NRW had concerns that the retaining walls and the wave return wall could have collapsed at any time.

Short term emergency works were originally carried out, but a more permanent solution was designed and installed during 2025/26 to ensure the longer-term sustainability of the asset and to protect the nearby SSSI’s from tidal ingress. The works included significant structural repairs of the asset, installation of a remote mechanical lifting solution and fish friendly tidal flaps for compliance with Eels Regulations.

Figure 7: Photo showing the construction of the Chapel Reen Outfall system

Operating FRM assets

Many of our flood defences are static engineered structures that perform their function without the need to be actively operated. Examples are raised embankments and concrete walls, although some operational checks may still be required for these assets.

Where an FRM asset does require a specific mechanical and/or electrical, or physical intervention to operate, or where an asset is operated during a flood event, our staff or framework contractors will perform those operations. Examples are deploying or closing flood gates, operating a pumping station, or setting a level on a penstock.

As well as operating these assets during flood events or exercises, we undertake periodic operational checks. Operational Checks are to visually inspect the structure to ensure it is ready to perform as designed in the event of a flood. These checks will include undertaking small maintenance tasks that do not require specialist equipment, materials, or specific permits.

Occasionally, we may need to undertake maintenance on natural river channels to maintain conveyance of water where it is a flood risk not to do so. An example of this would be if a fallen tree was significantly reducing the channel capacity of a flood alleviation scheme by causing a blockage. This year we published an article to explain the approach that we take to managing flood risk across Wales, particularly around removing natural blockages and other items such as rubbish, in rivers.

Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Control and Automation Assets (MEICA)

MEICA maintained assets are spread across Wales and cover a wide range of primary flood risk assets and supporting functions within NRW to undertake key roles. These assets span from hydrometry and telemetry electrical and mechanical infrastructure which are key to data collection, through to remotely operated trash screens which are operated when river level thresholds are reached.

MEICA are responsible for the maintenance on 25 pumping stations, 353 hydrometry sites and 121 fluvial and coastal outfalls. Over recent years there has been a significant uptake in the use of remote asset monitoring cameras and the network now hosts 63 cameras across Wales.

This year 1,936 maintenance tasks were completed across all assets. This consists of 1,512 planned maintenance works on assets and 424 from reactive works. Reactive works includes those triggered by flood incident response via the MEICA call out rota.

The cost of unplanned refurbishment of pumping assets significantly increases capital expenditure. Multiple NRW FRM pumping assets are reaching end of life and availability of spares is reducing. We have started a comprehensive appraisal of pump station reliability to inform a capital investment bid for a repair, upgrade and replacement programme. This will include detail on reduced maintenance options, condition based monitoring opportunities and carbon saving as a result of efficient pumping systems. 

We have continued to work closely with the Environment Agency to ensure that the MEICA engineering standards are in line with industry best practice. This year we collaborated on the Water Industry Mechanical and Electrical Standards and interfacing with the Institute of Engineering and technology.

Asset performance during storms and severe flooding

During Storm Claudia (14 – 15 November 2025), there was severe flooding in Monmouth from the river Monnow, a tributary of the River Wye. A major incident was declared in the early hours of Saturday 15 November after 50 to 75mm of rain fell across large areas of east Wales, with 75 to 100mm locally leading to record river levels in the River Monnow.

Severe flood warnings were issued as river levels rose to 18 times normal levels and flood water inundated Forge Road, Over Monnow, Rockfield and Monmouth town centre and similarly at Skenfrith. A multi-agency response was required to rescue residents, with significant flood impacts in these locations. 

The storm event exceeded the flood defences designed level of flood protection and therefore defences in Monmouth were eventually overwhelmed. On assessment after the event, the condition of our defences were found to be fit to perform in further storms, with the exception of some minor surface damage of Forge Road embankment and similar minor damage from overtopping on an embankment on the Scud Brook. Repairs were carried out to the Town Ditch outfall at Over Monnow to correct it’s serviceability.

Approximately 250 residential and business properties were flooded across Monmouthshire during the event, marking the most severe and widespread flooding in living memory in the area. Unfortunately, in this event the significant volume of water moving through the catchment overwhelmed flood defences. In many other locations however our network of NRW maintained flood defences have provided ongoing protection to over 90,000 properties.

Operating our primary response sites

During 2025/26, we issued flood warnings and threshold level operation responses that triggered the operation of our FRM assets at primary response sites which include:

• Abergwili Flood Gate, Carmarthenshire
• Llanrwst
• Dolgellau
• Nant Barrog, Llanfair Talhaiarn 
• Afon Alun, Rossett
• Afon Dee, Almere
• Fairbourne
• Monmouth Flood Door
• Crickhowell Flood Door
• Caerleon Flood Barrier

We also carried out preparatory work at key sites to ensure trash screens were clear and defences were ready for service.

Maintain and refurbish – sustaining existing protection

We maintain over 3,900 flood risk management assets which includes approximately 455km length of raised defences throughout Wales. The maintenance of our existing assets involves a number of key activities:

• A visual inspection programme to assess and confirm asset condition. 
• Routine operational maintenance.
• Refurbishment of assets on an ad hoc basis when specific repairs are required to bring the asset back to their intended condition. 

Visual inspection programme

As part of our asset condition checks, we have a pre-programmed asset inspection regime to give us an assurance level that our assets can perform as intended.

At the end of the financial year 2025/26 we completed 15,165 routine asset inspections. We prioritise asset inspections on a risk basis ensuring that our highest priority assets are checked on a routine basis. Once the risk has been assessed, the assets are inspected on a 6, 12, 24, 36 or 60 month frequency.

In addition, 311 post incident and ad hoc inspections have been undertaken following storm events. Following a storm, we have a defined process to determine which post event inspections are required. After the Storm Claudia flood event in November 2025, 217 assets were inspected.

Our inspections found that 97.16% of our flood assets in high flood risk systems were at or above their required condition to effectively perform their function. 

Asset refurbishment

Assets not at required condition are scheduled for repair or improvement work and monitoring takes place on progress, risks and issues. Asset defects are reported through our asset information database ‘AMX Flood’.

Defects needing large and/or costly repairs will require capital funding and will be added to the medium term plan of NRW’s capital maintenance programme.

Smaller, more routine repairs are completed alongside the revenue maintenance programme. 

During 2025/26, we have sustained the level of flood risk to 1,040 properties through the wide range of Capital Maintenance projects funded by our capital programme.

Routine operational maintenance

Our revenue asset maintenance programme for FRM assets includes activities such as:

• Grass cutting on flood defences
• Operational checks of structures and channels
• Conveyance maintenance
• Tree Work to protect integrity of defences and maintain conveyance

Many of these activities are repeated at predetermined times to maintain the assets at their required condition according to the flood risk they help to manage.

In 2025/26, we undertook 18,531 individual actions as part of our Routine Maintenance programme. This included nearly 9,000 hours of grass cutting, nearly 6,000 hours of tree and vegetation management, over 11,000 hours of visual checks and small scale maintenance actions and nearly 3,000 hours managing invasive non-native vegetation.

This year we have actively contributed to NRW’s Wellbeing Objective 1: Nature is Recovering, by decreasing the amount of mowing on our flood risk management assets during ‘No Mow May’. We have reduced the amount of mowing by at least 70% across all FRM assets, and risk assessed assets where flood risk was deemed to have overridden the ecological benefit. Where this has been the case we have identified mitigation measures to offset.

We are also working on alternative approaches to reducing mowing and working with nature by identifying flood risk managements key asset pilot sites for 2026.

Alongside our asset lifecycle work described above, we have a number of projects ongoing to help improve asset management within NRW.

Asset Management Information Database – Asset Management eXpert (AMX Flood)

We have undertaken work this year to upgrade our asset management information database to the latest available version. The updated software has been tested by our users and we will move over to this version during summer 2026. As part of this update, we also tested how secure the system is against potential cyber attacks and made improvements to ensure the system is secure.

Asset management – remote monitoring

Global Navigation Survey Systems

This year we have invested in the latest Global Navigation Survey Systems (GNSS) to replace aging and unreliable survey equipment. This equipment enables measurements to be taken from up to 20m away on structures that are hard or unsafe to reach. The introduction of this equipment has helped improve the safety of our staff and the data we capture, which improves the data we hold in our asset management database.

Remote monitoring using CCTV and cameras

We use CCTV and cameras to provide remote monitoring capability across Wales, supporting operational decision-making, asset management and incident response, whilst reducing the need to visit in person. This helps ensure that more resources are available for longer during incident response as well as cutting our carbon emissions. 

We currently have 60 fixed cameras around Wales, alongside three portable units which can be flexibly used where required. 40 of the fixed cameras are now ageing. A review of these assets has identified opportunities to modernise the network by replacing older systems with more modern technology. This year, 11 new systems were installed, increasing network coverage and enhancing resilience across key operational sites.

National Asset Database (NAD)

Asset data provided by the 22 Welsh LLFAs since 2017 sits alongside NRW’s records of flood assets, to form the National flood Asset Database (NAD).  Data provided is shared publicly as open data on our own public facing pages such as Find flood defence structures near you (The National Flood Asset Database) where end uses can search by address, and find assets near them.  During 2025, there were 800 visits to this page.

We publish flood defence locations every 6 months, in line with the Wales Floodmap update cycle, so that any changes we record in our asset database are reflected on the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Maps and Flood Map for Planning. In 2025/26, no further updates were received from LLFAs.

During this year, we started discussions about the NAD with the Wales Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee to raise awareness and to promote further discussion about the possible future direction for the NAD.

Reservoir safety

There are over 400 large raised reservoirs registered in Wales with a capacity of 10,000 cubic metres of water, or more, held above natural ground level and stored behind a dam, embankment or other structure. The failure of these structures can cause flooding, damage, pollution, loss of utility and can pose a risk to life.

We are the enforcement authority for the safety of large raised reservoir in Wales. We have a duty to ensure that those who own, manage or operate them observe and comply with the Reservoirs Act 1975 to protect people and property from an uncontrolled release of water. This law sets the minimum standards to ensure the safety of reservoirs, predominantly to ensure reservoir undertakers appoint and act on the advice of specialist qualified civil engineers.

We also manage a portfolio of reservoirs for flood risk and conservation purposes and manage reservoirs in the Welsh Government Woodland Estate on behalf of the Welsh Ministers. Our key activities in these two roles are described below.

Our regulatory role

The register of large raised reservoirs

At the time of reporting there are 403 large raised reservoirs recorded on the public register. The number and status of these reservoirs over the last five years are shown the table below.

Stage	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
Under construction	8	12	8	8	7	7
In operation	363	384	388	393	397	395
Abandoned	0	0	1	1	1	1
Total	371	396	397	402	405	403

Table 7: The number and status of large raised reservoirs registered as recorded on 31 March over a five-year period.

The responsibility for reservoir safety and for legal compliance falls to the undertakers of which in Wales:

• 35% are statutory water companies
• 26% are private landowners
• 21% are managed by publicly funded bodies:
  
  
  • local authorities (10%)
  • Natural Resources Wales (9%)
  • national park authorities & Cadw (2%)
• 18% are managed by other organisations.

The undertakers may use reservoirs for many different uses as well as traditional water supply, including hydro-electric power generation, natural and heritage conservation, recreation, river regulation, flood control and general amenity.

Figure 8: The number of compliant and non-compliant reservoirs in each principal undertaker group recorded at the close of the period on 31 March 2026.

The reduction in performance around the need for inspection has occurred because of the timing of inspections at orphan reservoirs, where no owner exists. We have recorded this as non-compliance but have taken steps to ensure the required inspections are completed.

Non-compliance is attributed to 47 reservoirs (12%), operated by 34 separate undertakers (the owners or operators) with one or more unresolved breaches in place. In summary:

• We produced 35 new or revised reservoir flood maps during the year and plan to produce more during 2026.
• We have continued our work to designate reservoirs according to the hazard they pose to people. Eight reservoirs were designated as high-risk reservoirs where we think a flood from the reservoir, caused by a failure of the dam, could endanger life. 
• We have monitored the construction or alteration of seven reservoirs and sought compliance with the rules for inspection, supervision, maintenance, monitoring and record keeping across 285 high-reservoirs. 
• We have provided guidance on the voluntary production of reservoir emergency flood plans and have seen an increase in this with 88% of high-risk reservoirs now having a written plan.
• We have continued to support the Government programme of reservoir safety reform, to help shape future reservoir safety regulation.

Post reservoir incident reporting

During the report period we recorded three incidents at large raised reservoirs. The incidents required some precautionary measures to be taken. These incidents were responded to by the undertakers, and none required us to step in using emergency powers.

We have worked with the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Environment Agency to produce an online database of reservoir incidents. The purpose of this is to provide better information to reservoir owners and engineers on the sorts of incidents that occur, the shortcomings found, and the lessons learnt from them. This was published shortly last year and has been used to record all reportable incidents to date.

Reservoirs managed by NRW

We manage 38 reservoirs in Wales. These reservoirs are inspected and supervised by qualified civil engineers, and we maintain a programme of works to address the recommendations they may make. The table below shows the purpose and risk designation of reservoirs managed by NRW.

Purpose	High risk	Not high risk	Undetermined	Total
Flood Risk Management	11	2	0	13
Conservation (National Nature Reserves)	3	5	0	8
Welsh Government Woodland Estate	12	4	1	17
Total	26	11	1	38

Table 8: The purpose and designation of reservoirs managed by NRW.

For more information, read our biennial reports on reservoir safety.

Advising planners, permitting and enforcement

This work area relates to all discretionary and statutory advice about flood risk in our role as a consultee within the planning process, and our regulatory work under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (2016). The aim is to provide effective advice to influence and control development in flood risk areas, preventing more people and properties becoming exposed to increased flood risk. Through our permitting work, we regulate activities on or near main rivers and our assets to ensure they do not cause an increase in flood risk or cause environmental harm. We also undertake enforcement where flood risk activities may cause or exacerbate flood risk or result in environmental harm.

Implementing revised TAN15

The Welsh Government published a revised planning policy TAN15: Development, Flooding and Coastal Erosion (TAN15) on 31st March 2025. During the first year of implementation we have developed internal guidance to support our staff in understanding the changes and apply the revised policy appropriately.

We have also updated external guidance on overtopping, breach and blockage scenarios to align with the revised TAN requirements.

We’ve worked closely with the Welsh Government as they developed TAN15 FAQs, which have been prepared to address the most frequently asked questions raised from both a procedural and policy perspective. We advised the Welsh Government on the types of queries typically raised and provided technical information as required to inform the responses. We will continue to support the Welsh Government to amend and refine the FAQs going forward.

Development planning advice

As a statutory consultee to the planning process, we provide advice on flood risk to developers and planning authorities for development proposals located in Flood Zones 2, 3 or a TAN15 Defended Zone on the Flood Map for Planning (FMfP) for both rivers and the sea. The FMfP is used primarily as a screening tool to understand where further assessment of flooding and coastal erosion may be needed. It also gives an indication of how climate change may affect flood extents over the next century. For more information, go to our full description of the FMfP.

Over the past year, our technical flood risk advice has helped to prevent inappropriate development being approved in locations where the risk of flooding would be difficult to manage. Where development has been permitted despite the flood risks, we have provided advice on the risks and consequences so that flood resistance and resilience measures can be considered and incorporated within development to help reduce the risk both now and in the future.

During 2025/26 we received and responded to around 2,700 planning consultations where flood risk was identified as a material planning consideration providing technical advice on the flood risks and consequences.  We may receive multiple consultations related to the same planning application and proposals can be located within multiple flood zones. 

Of the consultations received, around 2,000 were related to proposals in, or partially within Flood Zone 2, 2,500 in or partially within Flood Zone 3, and around 800 in or partially within a TAN15 Defended Zone. 

Regulating flood risk activities

We regulate activities carried out on or near a main river, on or near a flood defence structure, including a sea defence, or within a flood plain, under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016. We do this by issuing a Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) to ensure the activity does not cause any increase in flood risk, adversely impact land drainage in the area, or cause environmental damage to the local environment, fisheries, or wildlife. Some permits we issue cover multiple flood risk activities under the same permit where they are undertaken within the same location and have the same site characteristics. This is subject to certain conditions and constraints. Some flood risk activities can be carried out without a permit but may need to register with us as ‘exempt’ from the need for a bespoke permit.

Over the 2025/26 financial year, we issued 190 Flood Risk Activity Permits across Wales and 61 exemptions were registered.   

During 2025/26 we developed a regulatory statement (RS) for small scale in-river monitoring equipment. This allows the installation and operation of small-scale monitoring equipment within a main river without the need for a Flood Risk Activity Permit (subject to certain conditions).  The type of equipment covered by the RS is generally used for environmental monitoring purposes and the use of an RS recognises the very low flood or environmental risk posed by this activity.  

We are in the process of identifying whether additional Regulatory Statements can be developed for other low risk activities that currently require a Flood Risk Activity Permit.

Enforcement activity

We undertake flood risk enforcement under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. This work is important to ensure the effective management of flood risk and to support protection of the environment. If our regulatory advice is not sought, or is ignored, when undertaking works on or near main rivers or flood defences the consequences could be serious. 

In addition to managing flood risk, our enforcement activity ensures we can maintain access to flood/sea defence infrastructure and allow us to undertake important maintenance and improvement works. We can also use enforcement action to rectify unlawful and damaging or potentially damaging work, which may have been carried out in contravention to conditions set out in a flood risk activity permit, or without a required flood risk activity permit. Examples include damage to flood defences and control structures, removing obstructions that impact flow within rivers, potentially increasing flood risks, and works that have caused harm to the environment.

During 2025/26 we registered 62 new enforcement cases across Wales. 61 cases required enforcement action against unpermitted flood risk activities and 1 was against non-compliance of the flood risk activity permit. Enforcement action included the use of Remediation Notices, Warning Letters and Advisory letters. We completed enforcement action with successful outcomes on 46 cases during this period.

Case study – unpermitted works, Radyr cricket club, Cardiff

Our officers responded to reports of concrete foundations and around 400 metres of blockwork wall being constructed immediately adjacent to, and parallel to the River Taff in Cardiff. The works, undertaken without a Flood Risk Activity Permit was in response to recent major flooding in the area and subsequent damage to the clubhouse and cricket fields.

We had serious concerns about the potential impact of the wall on flood risk in the wider local area, as it might act to obstruct and divert flood flows across the site and elsewhere, including our flood alleviation scheme on the opposite river bank of the River Taff.

We served a Remediation Notice to immediately stop further works whilst we investigated further. Site visits and discussions took place involving the Cricket Club, local councillors, and our team. Following discussions, it was agreed that a further Remediation Notice would be issued to remedy the situation.

A Remediation Notice was served to either:

• provide a Flood Consequences Assessment (FCA) to demonstrate the wall did not cause third-party impacts; or
• remove the wall in its entirety and reinstate the area affected to the original ground levels. 

It was decided by the cricket club to remove the wall due to the risks and costs involved in preparing a Flood Consequence Assessment. We have continued to work with the cricket club to discuss options to protect the cricket fields and clubhouse.

Figure 9: Block stone wall that was constructed at Radyr cricket club Cardiff without a Flood Risk Activity Permit.

Delivering hydrometry, telemetry and hydrology services

This work area delivers our hydrometry, telemetry and hydrology services which collect, analyse and report data which underpins a range of flood and water management services across NRW. This includes flood risk modelling and mapping, flood risk scheme appraisal and design (standards of protection), reservoir safety, flood forecasting and warning, river regulation and post flood assessments (in terms of the amounts of rainfall, river levels recorded and their severity e.g. historic ranking or return period).

As well as gathering, processing, and archiving this data for NRW, this work area also reports and shares the data with internal and external customers through specific data requests, data transfers and provision of digital services on our website including our live River Levels, Rainfall and Sea Data service.

Hydrometric network

The hydrometric network across Wales comprises 254 rain gauge stations, 341 river level or flow monitoring stations and 135 groundwater level monitoring stations. Figure 10 is a map showing the locations of all monitoring stations across our Welsh Hydrometry and Telemetry (H&T) network. There have been minimal changes to the hydrometric network in recent years as the result of a resource pressures on H&T in Wales. Any additions to the network have been limited to previously agreed installations to support statutory monitoring requirements.

Figure 10: Hydrometric sites across Wales

Hydrometric network review project

We have undertaken work to review hydrometry and telemetry service costs and staffing. A Network Management Activities model has been created to help match resources to changes in the hydrometric network. Teams within H&T are now adding detailed station information to the model. Once complete, it will be used as an operational tool to help balance resources and workload.

Tanio - Telemetry replacement project

We have made progress with our £6m investment project to deliver our new telemetry system, Tanio. This project is essential for NRW to keep collecting and sharing near real-time data on rivers, rainfall, and operational plant information. This information supports responses to flooding and water management, including drought, and is shared with partners such as the Environment Agency and water companies.

In the last year we have replaced ageing PSTN telephone lines with modern mobile, internet and satellite communications. Our new telemetry data portal is live and all external customers have migrated over to it  We have completed system configuration, user testing and training. Tanio will go live in early 2026/27.

UK Flood Hydrology Roadmap

We continue to work closely with our partners in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to take forward implementation of the Flood Hydrology Roadmap that was published in March 2022. This year we have explored which roadmap outcomes NRW should prioritise and have identified three key areas around the Data theme to focus our efforts on over the coming years.

Beyond our internal work, we have continued our collaboration with our partners across the UK to develop a framework to benchmark hydrological models. It is anticipated that an IT based solution along with associated business change processes will be delivered in the coming years. We have also engaged with the academic community, both at a local level and also at a national workshop to help develop a future flood hydrology research programme.

Case study – Hydrometry and Telemetry in Wales

Hydrometry is the measurement of the physical components of the Hydrological Cycle – rainfall, water level and flow, and groundwater level, and telemetry is the process of sending the measured data from the remote sensors to a central system, where it can be monitored, analysed, and stored.

In NRW, the Hydrometry & Telemetry service is delivered by three teams totalling approximately 35 staff across Wales.  Two of the teams (North and South) operate and maintain more than 700 field monitoring stations that make up the Hydrometric network.  This includes water level and flow stations, rainfall stations and groundwater monitoring station. To ensure that monitoring stations are operating correctly these teams fix and replace faulty sensors and telemetry units, maintain monitoring station buildings and structures such as weirs, and carry out calibration measurements using specialist skills and equipment. The third team is the National Hydrometry and Telemetry (H&T) team, which manage national systems, including telemetry, the hydrometric archive and the river levels website. The team also leads on data management, archiving, distribution, and long-term strategy and planning.

Hydrometric data is the foundation of much of the water-based work carried out by NRW, including Water Resource Management, Flood and Coastal Risk Management, and Environment Management activities relating to fisheries, biodiversity and water quality.

We use automatic rain gauges to monitor rainfall, and pressure sensors and radar units to measure water level which allows us to calculate flow.  The data output from these sensors is transmitted to our central systems using our new national telemetry system.

Figure 11: This radio controlled boat, which is nearly 2 metres in length, has a top mounted GPS unit, and an ultrasonic sensor mounted underneath.  It is used to measure both low flows and flood flows in rivers of all sizes.

As soon the data arrives on our central servers experienced staff use specialist software to process the data, turning it into useful environmental information that is made available in near real time to support critical Flood Risk Management services such as Flood Forecasting and Flood Warning and Informing,  as well as Water Resources Management activities such as drought management and reporting.

Keeping the whole service running smoothly is a huge team effort.  Field staff work to ensure that monitoring stations across Wales are managed and maintained in a good state of repair and National telemetry staff continually monitor the flow of data into our central systems, spotting and fixing issues early to avoid unnecessary data loss, and ensuring that data is available in near real-time to support those critical services provided by NRW for internal and external stakeholders.

River level, rainfall and sea data is available through the NRW website.

Figure 12: NRW’s River Levels, Rainfall and Sea Data web service makes 15 minute water level and rainfall data, from more than 400 monitoring stations, available to customers via the NRW website.

Flood forecasting and issuing warnings

This work area delivers our flood forecasting and flood warning services to the public and professional partners. Its purpose is to provide effective warnings and information to people at risk of flooding enabling them to take direct action to protect life and property in the build up to a flood event.

It includes the detection and forecasting of flooding in real time in the lead up to and during flood incidents, and the issuing of flood warnings to those directly at risk.  It also includes the provision of information on the latest situation and warnings in force via our website, Floodline and our live data portal.

Our teams also ensure that data, systems, operational procedures, training of duty staff and management of duty rotas are all in place - and tested and improved – such that they are ready and fully effective in flood events. The services are delivered by a number of specialist duty officer rotas using staff from our teams. Our duty officers are on standby duty 24/7 365 days per year ready to respond to potential and actual flooding at any time of day or night.

Flood Forecasting and Warning over the 2025/26 financial year

Across Wales, there are 48,800 properties fully registered to receive our flood warnings. In total, we issued 700 flood alerts, 158 flood warnings and five severe flood warnings during 2025/26 in response to the risk of flooding. Section 1 of this report describes the main flood events during the year and associated impacts.

Figure 13: Number of flood warnings and alerts issued during 2025/26

Improvements to the Flood Forecasting service

In 2024/25, we strengthened our coastal flood warning service by introducing the Wales  Coastal Model for coastal forecasts. During this year, we have undertaken work to further embed the changes to our coastal forecasting including working to revise forecast thresholds for a number of locations as a result of Local Authority Improvement Schemes.

In 2025/26, we developed and made operational, three new river flood forecasting models for the Upper Wye, Lower Wye and Cadoxton. These new models add 13 new forecast locations to the service and between them cover 8 separate Flood Warning Areas and over 2,200 properties. The map below shows the new forecast locations in red, alongside the existing flood forecasting catchment coverage.

Figure 14: Flood Forecasting locations 2026

We have also started work on projects that will improve our river flood forecasting capabilities. These projects will help us to better understand uncertainty in forecasts and improve the accuracy of the flood forecasts that we are able to provide. These projects will be delivered in the coming years.

Flood Warning Information Service for Wales (FWISfW)

Our new Flood Warning Information Services for Wales (FWISfW) went live on 17 July 2024. Since launching, we have focused on making sure the service is reliable, easy to use, and continues to meet the needs of people at risk of flooding across Wales.

Over the past year, this includes:

• We've delivered an online account service, making it easier for people to securely sign in and manage their flood warning information, helping them stay up to date with the latest alerts.
• We are strengthening how we gather and use feedback from people who use the service, so we can continue to improve it based on real experiences.
• We are improving how our flood warnings are shared so they can reach more people through trusted services such as Google, Apple and weather apps, helping people access important information quickly.
• We are continuing to invest in maintaining and improving the flood warning service, so it remains dependable when it matters most.

UK Common Warnings Framework

NRW has been involved in developing the Common Warnings Framework (CWF), informed by lessons from the 2020 flooding in Wales. The CWF brings together UK flood agencies (Natural Resources Wales, Environment Agency, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Department for Infrastructure Northern Ireland), the Met Office and the Flood Forecasting Centre to align principles, strengthen collaboration, resolve issues, mitigate risks and present a single voice on weather and flood messaging.

The partnership focuses on improving consistency in warning methodology and messaging, making information easier to share and reuse, and have a shared primary focus on saving lives.

Initial priorities include:

• Risk matrices: creating consistent approaches and terminology for communicating flood risk, with a new matrix planned for autumn 2026.
• Common Alerting Protocol (CAP): adopting a shared standard for flood warnings and severe flood warnings to increase reach via third-party platforms (e.g. Google). NRW has undertaken development work to systems so that we can provide CAP compliant live warning data to third parties, supporting a unified UK approach to flood warnings.

 

Community engagement and resilience

This work area delivers our community engagement and resilience services to communities at risk of flooding across Wales. It includes provision of information and advice to those at risk of flooding on the practical steps they can take to be better prepared before, during and after flooding. We provide this advice digitally via our website and directly with communities, including providing flood plan templates for them to use and facilitating volunteer network events to share knowledge, experiences, and best practice. Our enabling role is important for partners to be able to do their own local engagement with communities using our digital and print resources as well as come together with community leads.

Social media messaging

We annually review and update all of our flood social media assets, and create new materials to address any gaps in advice required by the public to respond to flood risk.  These assets are shared with Welsh Government’s Local Resilience Forum Communications Group.  This year we also worked with Welsh Local Government Association to co-design social media assets for use by local authorities to amplify NRW’s flood alerts and warnings, as well as tailor them for local information - so that flood risk messaging is consistent across Wales, and delivered by trusted sources.

Community flood plans

Community flood plans are volunteer and community led. As of April 2025, we help maintain 65 community flood plans in place across Wales to ensure they are fit for purpose and service the communities that own and use them.  These plans are those reported to NRW either by public or partners and for which we have up to date contacts for; there may be others we are not aware of. NRW have a supporting role in these plans along with other organisations offering advice and guidance.  During 2025/26, we undertook an audit of Community Flood Plans to check which plans are still active. This enables us to focus on communities that are in a position to develop and maintain a community flood plan.  It also highlights the locations of those communities so we can offer them support, signpost them to other volunteers for networking and advice (and keep them updated of news and events relevant to them).

Flood volunteer network events

We held a Community Flood Volunteer network event in Llandudno, which provided an opportunity to connect with the public and partners face to face in North Wales.  As much as possible, we duplicated the previous year’s events (held in South and Mid Wales), to enable communities in North Wales to increase their understanding of Flood Recovery. There were short presentations from professional partners explaining their roles and support offered in the flood recovery process. In total, 12 communities were represented by 13 community members.  36 professional partners attended and contributed to the planning and discussions on the day.

Figure 15: Photo from the flood volunteer engagement event at Llandudno, 12 March 2026

Flood advice available in other languages

One in seven properties in Wales is at risk of flooding. To help keep people, homes and businesses safe, we are working to make our flood risk advice accessible to more of the communities we serve. This is why we’ve recently completed a multiple language flood risk advice pilot within South Central Wales. 

Cardiff is the most ethnically diverse city in Wales, and the South Central region is home to many people whose first language is not English or Welsh. Based on the 2021 Census, we identified the ten most commonly spoken languages in the area. We now have flood risk advice and personal flood plan templates available in: Arabic, Polish, Bengali, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Urdu, Italian, Malayalam and Farsi. 

We hope that these new resources help people understand how to prepare for flooding, and what to do during and after a flood.

Flood campaign week #BeFloodReady

We delivered our annual #BeFloodReady awareness campaign from 6 to 10 October 2025. This year’s activity centred on supporting people living in areas at risk of flooding to prepare for the winter period, with a renewed focus on climate change and community resilience.

The campaign was launched at the official opening of the Stephenson Street Flood Risk Management Scheme in Newport, providing a high profile platform to begin the week of activity. Throughout the week, we reiterated the key actions people should take to prepare for flooding: check their risk, sign up for warnings, and know what to do before, during and after a flood.

As part of our preparedness drive, we delivered winter readiness presentations to the Welsh Government Local Resilience Forum (LRF) and local LRF communications groups. Updated campaign assets were also shared via the LRF comms toolkit, and tailored newsletter content was provided to Cyfoeth, Climate Action Wales, and Flooding Matters.

The campaign secured strong national and regional media coverage from ITV Wales, BBC Wales, the Global network and Bauer Media Group.  In total, the campaign generated 13 items of print, online and broadcast coverage, delivering more than 111 million opportunities to see (OTS) – a significant increase from 17 million OTS in 2024. 

Supporting Senedd members and their constituents

In October 2025, members of the National Flood Risk Services team attended the Senedd’s “Y Farchnad” event specifically to talk about advice and support for communities living with flood risk. We engaged with approximately a third of Senedd Members (either directly with them or with their support staff/caseworkers).

Figure 16: NRW staff engaging with Senedd Members in October’s Y Farchnad event at the Senedd.

Our aim was to help Senedd Members and their teams be in a better position to help their constituents who have questions around flooding - including what support and advice is available from NRW and other partners.  We took with us publications and leaflets to share and demonstrated our digital services via laptops and had some interesting questions and conversations on the day.

We also followed up with links to our key information and advice resources (in Welsh and English), and asked Members and their teams to share our advice with constituents. We intend to repeat this event in the autumn after the May elections so we can meet newly elected Members from across all the political parties and help them to support their constituents.

Rent Smart Wales

We investigated ways to engage with landlords and agents in Wales to help them understand whether their properties are at risk and their responsibilities to tenants.

We worked with Rent Smart Wales to target landlords, agents, and ultimately tenants across Wales, to understand flood risk and take steps to prepare. Their insight into the private rental sector and how best to reach it was invaluable in helping us turn technical guidance into a clear, practical online course.

The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course is free and now available to access on the Rent Smart Wales website. By completing the training, landlords and agents will collect 10 CPD points that will count towards a Rent Smart Wales licence renewal application. The course went live in July 2025.

Pilot social media campaigns

Through our People and Places team in South Central, a pilot communications campaign is underway to boost flood risk awareness across the Taff catchment and wider South Central Wales. Using a mix of digital, audio, and community based channels, the project aims to reach as many people as possible who may be vulnerable to flooding. The multi channel approach includes targeted paid adverts on Meta, LinkedIn and Google Ads. As well as tailored messaging in a wide range of community languages such as Arabic, Polish, Bengali, Portuguese and more - reflecting the diverse population across the region.

The campaign also features a bilingual 30 second audio advert, which was run across radio and podcast platforms, alongside posts from key partners including Cardiff Council and Merthyr Tydfil Council. The pilot ended in March 2026, and we are now evaluating the findings. We will share findings and resources once available.

 

Sustainable flood risk management in the face of coastal change

Coastal communities in Wales face challenges from the existing risk of flooding from the sea, as well as ongoing physical changes and the pressures that climate change is likely to place on them in the future. We play an important role in managing coastal flood risk structures and also working with partners to plan for future changes and the requirements for adaptation over the long term.  Within this context, we continue to deliver our responsibilities in relation to Shoreline Management Plans and we aim to align our works to the policies contained within these Plans.

Coastal adaptation planning

Our Coastal Adaptation Programme supports the management and resilience planning of vulnerable coastal areas facing Shoreline Management Plan (SMP2) policy transition. Through the evidence based assessment of flood risk to communities, the environment and other key receptors, options are developed in consultation with Local Authorities, stakeholders, and the public. During 2025/26, we have worked closely with Local Authorities on major flood risk management projects in Dyfi Estuary, Porthmadog and Pwllheli. 

Natural Resources Wales delivers the National Habitat Creation Programme (NHCP) to meet the statutory requirements for compensatory habitat offset relating to Risk Management Authorities coastal flood and erosion projects. The NHCP is now closely aligned to our Coastal Adaptation Programme by identifying coastal marine habitat creation as one of the options for managing sustainable flood risk management in areas at risk from rising sea levels and diminishing standards of flood protection. Projects focusing on habitat creation are also underway including projects at Mwche and Laugharne in South Wales.

Shoreline Management Plan delivery

As active members of the four Coastal Groups in Wales, our staff have contributed to reporting to the Welsh Government on the implementation of Shoreline Management Plan (SMP2) epoch 1 policies (short term of 2005 to 2025) for measure 11 of Welsh Government’s National FCERM Strategy. The recommendations resulting from the Measure 11 exercise will direct the work of the Wales Coastal Groups Forum and Coastal Groups throughout 2026 and beyond.

Strategic planning

We lead on strategic flood policy matters, develop long term plans and ensure FRM delivers programmes of work in effective and efficient ways.

Skills and capacity

We recognise the need for more focus to be placed on skills and capacity building within FRM and we are working to ensure that we support the development of our staff and have the right skills so we can meaningfully tackle our future challenges.

During 2025/26, we continued to invest in FRM skills and development. As well as once again funding FRM technical training we also delivered on a range of other initiatives.

The main highlights were: 

• FRM induction course recordings - to supplement the “in person” FRM induction programme, we started the process of creating a recorded version of the course. Nine episodes have been recorded to date, and these have been made available to all Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) in Wales. The remaining elements of the induction course will be created in the first half of 2026/27.
• Joint RMA flood risk management site visits - The joint FRM site visit programme was established in 2025/26 and we have continued the programme this year. The programme targets new starters to FRM from across all RMAs in Wales and provides opportunities to visit locations with an FRM interest such as flood alleviation schemes and coastal adaptation sites. This year, there were visits to the Cardiff Bay Barrage and to Ammanford to see the new improvements there to flood defences. Feedback has been positive and the visits have provided valuable Continued Professional Development (CPD) and networking opportunities. A further cycle of site visits is planned in 2026/27.

Figure 17: Joint RMA site visit to the Cardiff Bay Barrage

Placements opportunities in FRM – Building on the success of previous years, FRM has secured funding for a further four graduate placements who will join us in September 2026. These one-year placements will be hosted across a range of FRM specialisms and teams. We will monitor the placements progress through their year with us and will look for opportunities for them to continue their careers in flood risk management at NRW.

Section 18 report published

We published the latest Section 18 report covering Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management from 2023 to 2025. This report is produced as a requirement under Section 18 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. It provides an update to Welsh Ministers on progress made in implementing the Welsh Government’s National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management published in October 2020.

Developing the strategic investment plan

In response to the Climate Emergency, the flooding Wales experiences is going to get worse and more extreme, and critically the funding, resources and thinking needed to help respond to this crisis is not keeping pace with that challenge. The way we think about and manage flood risk in Wales needs to change. We need to develop the capacity to move from a reactive approach to flooding to a proactive stance. Where rather than just responding to floods we are leading proactive action to make communities more resilient and better prepared. We have undertaken work this year to develop a Strategic Investment Plan for Flood Risk Management which aims to provide both strategic advice to policy makers and decision makers on key focus areas and ambitions, as well as providing an investment case to open up a conversation regarding the resourcing needs and investment opportunities that society faces.

Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMP)

We published our updated Flood Risk Management Plan in November 2023. The plan covers all of Wales and sets out the priorities for managing flood risk for the next six years for the areas of flooding for which we have lead responsibilities: flooding from rivers, reservoirs and the sea. The Place focused sections of the Flood Risk Management Plan contain planned measures and actions with the overall objective of reducing the risk to people and communities from flooding. We have made good progress delivering these measures. At the time of writing this report, 84 measures from the plan are complete, 122 measures are underway and 111 measures are not yet started. These figures include over 60 measures that have been added to our work plan since the start of the FRMP which shows how we add new measures and actions to our work plans once other measures are complete.

The pie chart below illustrates the percentage progress against our FRMP measures.

Measure status	Percentage
Measures complete	26.5
Measures not started	35
Measures ongoing	38.5

Figure 18: Pie chart and accompanying data table showing FRMP measures progress

The measures that have been completed since the last update include:

• Improvements to our existing hydraulic models at Bangor, Monmouth, Pontardawe, Ponthir, Resolven, Skenfrith, Usk and Ystrad Mynach.
• Improvements to our existing Flood Warning service at Builth Wells, Caerleon, Crickhowell, Knighton, Ponthir and Skenfrith.
• The design and construction of flood alleviation schemes in Llanfair Talhaiarn (Nant Barrog) and Llyn Tegid, and flood asset improvements in Llanfair Talhaiarn (Elwy).
• Completing initial assessment and feasibility work to consider how we might reduce flood risk in Kinmel Bay, Knighton and Llandinam.
• Considering future management options and future coastal adaptation planning in Dysynni.

FRM Research and Development

We have a strategic Research and Development (R&D) programme aimed at delivering key evidence to inform and improve our operational and policy needs across FRM. To help meet our research and evidence needs, we work in collaboration with the Welsh Government, Environment Agency and Defra on the joint Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Research and Development programme.  The programme aims to serve the needs of all flood and coastal operating authorities in Wales and England. Over the last year, the Joint Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management R&D Programme has published several key projects in which NRW has been involved including estimating the benefits of natural flood management. The full list of projects can be found on the FCERM research and development projects site.

The wider R&D programme consists of 36 projects split into 3 theme areas: 1) Policy, Strategy and Investment, 2) Asset Management and 3) Incident Management and Modelling. Our staff are engaged directly with 20 of these projects either as a corresponding member or actively involved at a project board level. 

Over the last year, we have been using the eight areas of research interest (ARIs) that were identified through the joint research plan as part of the Joint R&D Programme to help identify a range of evidence needs from our staff. See more details on ARIs here.

Cross regulatory Scour Working Group

In 2025/26, Natural Resources Wales played a key role in the Cross regulatory Scour Working Group, a strategic partnership with the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road. The group brings regulators and infrastructure bodies together at a national level to improve how scour risk at rail crossings is assessed, designed and regulated.

By working collaboratively across borders and organisations, this group has strengthened strategic relationships and created a shared regulatory voice. This has enabled earlier and more effective engagement with Network Rail, leading to better long term planning rather than reacting late in the delivery process.

The group is working to influence reforms to Network Rail’s national scour assessment approach, promoting stronger use of geomorphology, better option appraisal, and greater consideration of nature based and hybrid solutions. This has the potential to reduce delays, avoid repeated redesign, and improve outcomes for both infrastructure resilience and the water environment.

For NRW, this work demonstrates the value of partnership led regulation: using shared expertise, evidence and relationships to deliver more consistent, efficient and sustainable flood risk and environmental outcomes at scale.

 

Nature-based solutions

Nature-based solutions (NBS) refers to the use of natural features and processes to tackle socio-environmental issues.  Natural flood management (NFM) is considered to be a nature based solution to help address flooding by using or restoring natural processes to reduce the risk of flooding and coastal erosion.  NFM can also provide many wider benefits including biodiversity improvement, increasing ecosystem resilience, improving water quality and storing carbon.

As an organisation we want to lead by example, delivering our corporate objectives to protect and enhance nature, respond to the climate emergency, and minimise pollution.    The implementation of NFM measures has the potential to deliver against these objectives and has an important role in supporting action to address the climate and nature emergency.

Nature-based solutions strategic mapping – scoping study

To accelerate and increase the delivery of nature-based solutions for flood resilience across Wales, it is essential to understand where Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can deliver the greatest benefits for both flood risk management and nature recovery. This understanding is needed to support effective prioritisation, funding, clearer evidence of multi-benefit outcomes and coordinated delivery at national, catchment, and site scales.

To support this, we have undertaken a scoping study to explore how a range of potential tools and datasets could help address key delivery challenges. The study considers how improved evidence and mapping could support decision-making across multiple scales, from national investment planning and catchment coordination to site-level design.

The work builds on a series of significant NFM mapping initiatives undertaken in recent years, including national-scale Working with Natural Processes (WwNP) potential maps, Natural Flood Management (NFM) prioritisation mapping, and recent research such as the NERC Q NFM project. Together, these initiatives have progressively improved understanding of where and how NFM can be delivered at scale.

This project represents the next step in that progression. It seeks to identify the tools and approaches needed to strengthen and scale up NbS delivery across Wales, building directly on existing technical foundations, modelling advances, and datasets. Next steps will focus on developing the evidence required to support prioritisation, collaboration, and effective delivery by NRW and its partners.

Natural flood management projects

We have successfully bid for funding from the latest Welsh Government NFM Fund to take forward a project in Dinas Powys.  This project contributes to the Welsh Government Programme for Government measure to deliver nature-based flood management in all major river catchments to expand wetland and woodland habitats.

River Cadoxton, Dinas Powys

We have continued our work with landowners and communities in the upper Cadoxton Catchment to determine a range of potential landowner supported nature based solutions (NbS) / Natural Flood Management (NFM) options for the catchment. We are progressing proposals for the implementation of NbS interventions in Cwm George and Casehill Woods in Dinas Powys, with ongoing engagement with Woodland Trust and aim to move into delivering on the ground in 2026/27. These options seek to support the farm business, the wellbeing of people and nature local to the river, its tributaries and the wider catchment. These activities will help nature’s recovery, increase the resilience of communities to climate change and flood risk, and improve water quality.

River Ely

In 2025/26, 30 leaky barriers were installed on the Nant y Cesair stream in Tyn Y Coed Woods. A 40-metre section of an unnamed tributary of the River Ely in Llantrisant Woods was also improved using “gully stuffing.” These small projects aim to work with land management colleagues to explore better ways of managing water across the Welsh Government Woodland Estate.

In addition, Welsh Government Natural Flood Management funding has supported a hydrological assessment at Hensol. This will help identify ways to store more water on site without affecting forestry operations. The funding has also supported a feasibility study on a 1 km stretch of the River Ely at Coed Ely and a feasibility study to reconnect a floodplain on the Nant Mychydd downstream of the Royal Mint.

Figure 19: One of 30 leaky barriers installed on the Nant y Cesair stream (left photo). Gully stuffing of an unnamed tributary of the River Ely (right photo).

Where our money is spent

We are funded to deliver FRM work directly by Welsh Government in the form of Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA) funding. This takes the form of revenue funding which supports routine operational and “business as usual” activities and services as well as capital funding which is utilised to deliver project work.

In 2025/26 NRW received a total of £46.5m of Welsh Government FDGiA funding to undertake FRM work, this comprised of £24.5m of revenue funding and £22m of capital funding. This funding was utilised in this financial year to deliver the FRM outcomes, sustain the services NRW provides and many of the successes outlined in this report.

Capital funding

For financial year 2025/26, our capital budget was £22 million. We sustained protection to 1,040 properties through capital maintenance projects.

We made significant progress on several major schemes that were at various stages of development during 2025/26. These schemes will form the majority of our future years capital expenditure and include locations across Wales such as Pwllheli and Porthmadog (Gwynedd), Cardigan (Ceredigion), River Ritec, Tenby (Pembrokeshire) and a Taff Catchment Strategic Flood Management Plan (Merthyr, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Cardiff). In the long term, these are expected to benefit over 3,000 properties when they are completed. A breakdown of capital spend by project type is included in figure 10 below:

Project type	Spend	% of total
Business transformation	£4,596,188	22%
Capital maintenance	£5,442,978	25%
Core activities	£6,653,477	31%
Mapping and modelling	£353,961	2%
New defence	£4,215,824	20%

Figure 20: Pie chart and accompanying data table showing the breakdown of Capital spend by project type

Core Activities include capitalised salary costs (£2.3m), contributions to wider corporate enabling services (£1.8m) and fleet, plant and equipment purchase (£2.5m). Capital Business Transformation costs relate to FRM specific ICT system development or contributions to system development which benefits FRM services. In 2025/26 this included projects replacing our flood warning system and our telemetry system.

Revenue funding

The 2025/26 revenue settlement of £24.5 million supported the significant effort that goes into sustaining and providing the services, advice, tools, and activities NRW undertakes to help manage flood risk in Wales. This funding predominantly supports staff costs, routine maintenance works, various enabling services which support our work and other routine activities. A breakdown of revenue spend by activity is included in figure 21 below:

Revenue activity	Spend
Managing flood risk assets	£7,555,749
Forecasting and issuing flood warnings	£2,229,469
Community engagement and resilience	£188,028
Understanding and analysing flood risk	£1,163,725
Flood risk advice, permitting, compliance and enforcement	£1,714,132
Responding to and managing incidents	£2,513,359
Flood risk strategic planning & investment	£686,902
Delivery of the hydrology, geomorphology, hydrometry and telemetry service	£1,413,400
Reservoirs management and regulation	£357,590
Enabling costs and service provision	£6,715,213

Figure 21: Pie chart and accompanying data table showing the breakdown of revenue spend by activity

Each of these work areas interact and overlap with each other to deliver key services, therefore there are some areas where teams support wider activities which can misrepresent the scale of effort in some of the above activities as many areas are interdependent on each other to deliver outcomes. For example, Hydrometry and Telemetry work heavily supports forecasting and issuing flood warnings and also building our understanding of flood risk more generally.

Enabling Service and Corporate Overheads include FRM’s contribution to the operation of key business services which support the delivery of FRM activities.  These include Communications, Procurement, Governance and Leadership, Corporate Planning, Legal Services, People Management, Facilities, Fleet Management and Finance. Service Provision costs are associated with operating and maintaining key systems, tools and services supported by others.

The revenue budget of £24.5 million was fully utilised in 2025/26 and helped support many of the initiatives outlined in this report and ensured that our “business as usual” services continued to be delivered effectively.

Staff numbers

As of March 2026, we estimate the FTE staff numbers working directly within the FRM areas identified as per the following table, (this report does not contain data on the number staff working in enabling services as this is too complex to identify specific roles and contributions).

Organisational work area	Full time equivalent (FTE) staff numbers
Managing flood risk assets	174.7
Forecasting and issuing flood warnings	33.7
Community engagement and resilience	4.4
Understanding and analysing flood risk	25.1
Flood risk advice, permitting, compliance and enforcement	41.1
Responding to and managing incidents	53.7
Flood risk strategic planning and investment	15.6
Delivery of the Hydrology, Geomorphology, Hydrometry and Telemetry service	23.7
Reservoirs management and regulation	8.7
Other	1.7
Total estimate of FTEs funded by Flood Risk Grant in Aid revenue in NRW	382.4

Table 9: Budgeted Full time equivalent staff posts working directly in FRM as of March 2026 (all posts, including vacant posts)

 

Trends

This chapter is dedicated to showing how the financial year 2024/25 compares to the previous financial years. This is not new data, but amalgamates and summarises the data that is included throughout this FRM Annual Report and previous versions. Like the FRM Annual Report, the trend data is divided into functional topics for ease.

The following trend data is reported for information only without comment. This data will be used to contribute to and help inform business and investment planning decisions within NRW.

Management of flood risk assets – new assets

Properties benefitting from a sustained or reduced level of flood risk:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
Properties	720	242	1,680	1,047	1,888	1,040

Table 10: Numbers of properties benefitting from a sustained or reduced level of flood/ risk

Management of flood risk assets – asset inspections

Number of routine asset inspections that were completed each year:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
Number	11,810	11,061	13,571	15,725	14,289	15,165

Table 11: Number of routine asset inspections that were completed each year

Management of flood risk assets – asset performance 

Percentage of assets in high risk systems that are at or above their required condition to effectively perform their function:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
%	97.5	98.1	98.3	97.2	97.2	97.2

Table 12:  Percentage of assets in high risk systems that are at or above their required condition to effectively perform their function

Reservoir regulation - number of large raised reservoirs and high risk reservoirs

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
No. of reservoirs	371	395	397	402	405	403
No. of high risk reservoirs	188	248	266	269	277	285

Table 13: Number of large raised reservoirs and high risk reservoirs

Advising planners, consenting and enforcement – development planning advice

Number of planning consultations where flood risk was identified by the Local Planning Authority as a potential constraint:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
Number	2,086	2,353	2,414	2,352	2,100	2,700

Table 14: Number of planning consultations where flood risk was identified by the Local Planning Authority as a potential constraint

Advising planners, consenting and enforcement – Regulating flood risk activities

Number of Flood Risk Activity Permits (FRAPs) and Flood Risk Activity Permit Exemptions granted by NRW in each financial year:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
No. of FRAPs	214	285	241	218	204	190
No. of exemptions	30	52	22	50	46	31

Table 15: Number of Flood Risk Activity Permits (FRAPs) and Flood Risk Activity Permit Exemptions granted by NRW in each financial year

Flood forecasting and issuing warnings

Days of elevated flood risk

Elevated flood risk is highlighted through the Flood Guidance Statement which provides a daily flood risk forecast for 5 days to Government and professional partners to assist with strategic, tactical, and operational planning decisions around developing flood risk. The information is also shared with the public through our website.

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
Days of elevated flood risk (minor forecast impacts and above)	153	121	75	139	102	140
Days of heightened flood risk (significant forecast impacts and above)	39	15	15	20	40	33

Table 16: Number of days of elevated flood risk

Flood forecasting and issuing warnings

Number of flood alerts and flood warning issued each year:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
No. of flood alerts	596	369	472	760	622	700
No. of flood warnings	195	193	118	196	217	158
No. of severe flood warnings	2	0	0	3	2	5

Table 17: Number of flood alerts and flood warning issued each year

Flood forecasting and issuing warnings 

Numbers of properties signed up to Floodline Warnings Direct (FWD):

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
No. of properties at risk that are fully registered to receive flood warnings	52,011	49,161	48,411	47,551	48,271	48,800

Table 18: Numbers of properties signed up to FWD

Hydrometric network

Number of rain gauges, level or flow sites and groundwater sites within our network:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
Rain gauges	253	253	255	253	253	254
Level or flow sites	340	347	344	334	333	341
Groundwater sites	139	139	140	135	135	135

Table 19: Number of rain gauges, level or flow sites and groundwater sites within our network

Community engagement and resilience

Number of community flood plans in place across Wales that are maintained and fit for purpose and service for the communities that own and use them:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
Number	76	74	74	71	76	65

Table 20: Number of community flood plans in place across Wales that are maintained and fit for purpose and service for the communities that own and use them

Capital and revenue expenditure

Capital expenditure:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
£ million	13.5	17	19.5	32.1	22.5	22

Table 21: Amount of Capital expenditure in £ millions each financial year

Revenue expenditure:

Year	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26
£ million	21	22	22.5	24.5	24.5	24.5

Table 22: Amount of Revenue expenditure in £ millions each financial year