The role of local/lay flood knowledge in building community
resilience: The case of the 2007 floods, Gloucestershire, UK

McEwen, L.; Jones, O

Abstract

Scrutiny reviews after the 2007 floods, UK (Cabinet Office 2008; DEFRA 2008) have highlighted different types of knowledges needed for effective flood risk management, along with knowledge gaps. This paper evaluates critically the changing nature of local flood knowledge in community
settings, based on research undertaken after the 2007 floods. The paper explores the nature of local knowledge of flood risk and the impact of interventions. In particular, the scale of local/lay flood knowledge and associated local senses/values of place is important in validating and challenging expert knowledge. The paper reflects on how flood knowledge can be captured, used and harnessed
in flood resilience planning, and on the role of local knowledge and sustainable flood memory in developing community flood resilience. It concludes that the 2007 UK flood experience is generating new understandings of the value of local knowledge, and how this knowledge might
be successfully used in flood risk management practice.

Citation

resilience: The case of the 2007 floods, Gloucestershire, UK. Paper presented at British Hydrological Society Third International Conference, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: British Hydrological Society Third International Conference
• Conference Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
• Start Date: Jul 19, 2010
• End Date: Jul 23, 2010
• Publication Date: Jul 19, 2010
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: floods, Gloucestershire
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/976879
• Publisher URL: http://www.hydrology.org.uk/publications.php
• Related Public URLs: http://www.hydrology.org.uk/assets/2010%20papers/093McEwen&Jones.pdf
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : British Hydrological Society Third International Conference