Flooding doesn’t just affect individual homes. Streets, villages, and whole neighbourhoods can be impacted. When communities work together, they recover faster and help protect one another.
Community flood groups bring together residents who are invested in making their towns and villages more resilient to flooding.
Flood groups are involved in a number of activities, they:
- Keep an eye on local drains and watercourses
- Share updates from the council or Environment Agency
- Support neighbours during and after flooding
- Develop a community flood plan
- Raise awareness of a flood risk
- Help co-ordinate emergency actions
Community flood groups in Cambridgeshire
There are several flood groups across Cambridgeshire. You can use the map below to see if there is a community flood group in your area.
For a text list of the groups with contact details, please visit our flood group descriptions webpage.
Alternatively, you can also view the information on My Maps Cambridgeshire.
Follow these steps to find:
- Select My Maps from the top options
- On the left-hand side panel choose Standard Maps
- Under Map Categories select Flood Risk Management > Community Flood Action Groups
If any community flood group would like to feature on the above map please contact CFAP@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Community flood planning
Good community flood planning starts with understanding how flooding could affect your local area. This means gathering local knowledge and working together to identify:
- Areas that flood easily - such as low-lying roads, footpaths, or properties near drains, streams, or ditches
- Important places - schools, care homes, community centres, and other key buildings
- People who may need extra help - including older residents, people with disabilities, those who live alone, or families with young children
- How you stay in touch - for example, community WhatsApp groups, phone trees, or local volunteer networks
Knowing your area well helps ensure your community is better prepared and able to respond quickly if flooding happens.
Creating a community flood plan
A community flood plan is a simple written guide that sets out what your community will do before, during, and after a flood. It helps volunteers and residents take safe, organised action and makes sure support reaches those who need it.
You can use the Government’s community flood plan guidance and template for help in creating your own. To view and download the guidance, please visit Community flood plan guidance (GOV.UK).
A good community flood plan should include:
Before a flood
- How your community will receive and share warnings
- Who is involved (contact details for volunteers and coordinators)
- A list of residents who may need support
- Maps showing flood-prone areas and safe meeting points
As flood risk increases
- What checks volunteers should make (e.g., drains, channels, known blockage points)
- How information will be passed on to residents
During a flood
- How the plan is activated
- Who speaks with emergency services
- Ways to support vulnerable neighbours safely
After a flood
- Clean-up arrangements
- How to support affected residents
- How and when the flood plan will be reviewed
Why a community plan matters
- Builds confidence: having a plan means people know what to do, who to call, and where to go
- Streamlines communication: a clear structure means volunteers and residents have clarity on who they should be contacting or who may contact them
- Saves lives and property: by preparing actions ahead of time, your community can act quickly and protect vulnerable homes and people
- Strengthens community bonds: developing the plan is an opportunity to bring people together, to build trust before a flood happens
Telemetry and flood warning systems
Being prepared for flooding often starts with early warnings. Some communities use water-level sensors placed near streams, drains, or other places that flood easily. These sensors regularly check how high the water is and send updates to a shared system.
This real-time information helps local volunteers or coordinators spot rising water early, warn neighbours, and take action if needed. These community systems are an extra layer of awareness and work alongside the official flood warnings provided by national services.
Resources for flood groups
Our community flood group resources webpage hosts resources to support understanding, preparing for and responding to flood risk.
The page includes webinar recordings, guides to creating a flood group and plan, along with how to test the plan. You can also sign up to receive our flood and water newsletter.
