A modern risk-based approach to reservoir regulation

The Environment Agency (EA) was tested to the full by the floods in England and Wales during summer 2007. The EA's Review of 2007 Summer Floods highlights several lessons that can be learned and issues that can be addressed to improve future performance. It also outlines steps to be taken by government. This paper reviews the last EA biennial report, places the issues in the context of climate change and explains the legislative changes that the EA believes necessary to build on the UK's already impressive reservoir safety record.