Part 1Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

1. Key concepts and definitions

I1I2C1C11“Flood” and “coastal erosion”

1

Flood” includes any case where land not normally covered by water becomes covered by water.

2

It does not matter for the purpose of subsection (1) whether a flood is caused by—

a

heavy rainfall,

b

a river overflowing or its banks being breached,

c

a dam overflowing or being breached,

d

tidal waters,

e

groundwater, or

e

anything else (including any combination of factors).

3

But “flood” does not include—

a

a flood from any part of a sewerage system, unless wholly or partly caused by an increase in the volume of rainwater (including snow and other precipitation) entering or otherwise affecting the system, or

b

a flood caused by a burst water main (within the meaning given by section 219 of the Water Industry Act 1991).

4

Coastal erosion” means the erosion of the coast of any part of England or Wales.