We investigate widespread and internal property flooding. When flooding is significant, the County Council may carry out a flood investigation to better understand the impact of any flooding.
We work with partners such as the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Internal Drainage Boards, Cambridgeshire Highways and District Councils to understand the nature and extent of flooding and how we can work together to reduce the risk of such flooding happening again in the future.
What is a flood investigation and why are they important?
A flood investigation looks at:
- Where the water came from
- Why the flooding happened
- Which organisations are responsible
- Whether all organisations involved carried out their duties correctly
These investigations help everyone learn from past floods. The sole purpose is to understand how flooding occurred, how the various authorities and other parties responded, and whether any lessons can be learned.
When does the Council investigate flooding?
The council investigates flooding events in accordance with the requirements of Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (GOV.UK). To supplement this, the Council has adopted a set of criteria for when a flood event will be formally investigated. This means the Council will investigate if:
- There is internal flooding of one property more than once (this does not include gardens or garages)
- There is internal flooding of five or more properties; these properties must be close together and flooded during the same event
- Flooding significantly affects the external premises of one or more properties
- Flooding on public roads causes significantly disrupts the flow of traffic
- A major flood defences or flood asset fails
Following the completion of a formal flood investigation, the council publishes the results of its investigation.
Flood investigations map
You can view a map showing where our past flood investigations have taken place.
The map helps people see:
- Which areas have been investigated
- When flooding happened and what areas were affected
If the map does not load, please view it on the MapsCambridgeshire website.
Flood investigation reports
We have a legal duty to publish any investigations carried out under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (GOV.UK). Our reports can be viewed below. They are listed by date and location.
September/October 2024 investigation
Winter 2023/24 investigation
May 2023 investigation
July 2021 investigation
Please see below a summary of the December 2020 rainfall prepared by the Environment Agency.
