Rivers Agency
Encyclopedia
The Rivers Agency is an Executive Agency
of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
(DARD). It is the statutory drainage and flood
defence authority for Northern Ireland
. DARD is the competent authority for the implementation of the EU Floods directive
and has deligated the day to day delivery of the directive to the Rivers Agency. The Agency Headquarters is located at Hydebank in Belfast
.
Vision
The Agency’s vision is to manage the flood risk to facilitate the social, economic and environmental development of Northern Ireland
.
Aims
To support the vision the Agency aims:
•To reduce the risk to life and the damage to property from flooding from rivers and the sea
•To undertake watercourse and coastal flood management in a sustainable manner.
Objectives
In support of these aims the Agency's objectives are to:
•To deliver sustainable flood risk management policies to meet society’s social, environmental and economic needs
•To implement the requirements of the European Directive for the assessment and management of flood risks
•To reduce the number of properties currently at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea
•To maintain flood defence and drainage infrastructure in a satisfactory condition
•To operate to resource limits
•To support and motivate all our people to achieve the Agency’s objectives
•To deliver quality services for our customers and stakeholders in a fair and equitable way
The Strategic Flood Map (NI) - Rivers & Sea has been developed by Rivers Agency in co-operation with the Department of the Environment (DOE). The primary aim of the Strategic Flood Map is to provide an illustration of the areas throughout Northern Ireland that are estimated to be at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea.
The Map is designed to:
- Reduce flood risk by providing information on areas at risk.
- Encourage people living and working in areas prone to flooding to find out more and take appropriate action such as Flood mitigation
.
- Inform anyone who wants to apply for planning permission if flooding is likely to be an important consideration.
.
Executive agency
An executive agency, also known as a next-step agency, is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate in order to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland...
of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
(DARD). It is the statutory drainage and flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
defence authority for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. DARD is the competent authority for the implementation of the EU Floods directive
Floods directive
DIRECTIVE 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks is commonly known as the ‘Floods Directive’....
and has deligated the day to day delivery of the directive to the Rivers Agency. The Agency Headquarters is located at Hydebank in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Vision
The Agency’s vision is to manage the flood risk to facilitate the social, economic and environmental development of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Aims
To support the vision the Agency aims:
•To reduce the risk to life and the damage to property from flooding from rivers and the sea
•To undertake watercourse and coastal flood management in a sustainable manner.
Objectives
In support of these aims the Agency's objectives are to:
•To deliver sustainable flood risk management policies to meet society’s social, environmental and economic needs
•To implement the requirements of the European Directive for the assessment and management of flood risks
•To reduce the number of properties currently at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea
•To maintain flood defence and drainage infrastructure in a satisfactory condition
•To operate to resource limits
•To support and motivate all our people to achieve the Agency’s objectives
•To deliver quality services for our customers and stakeholders in a fair and equitable way
The Strategic Flood Map (NI) - Rivers & Sea has been developed by Rivers Agency in co-operation with the Department of the Environment (DOE). The primary aim of the Strategic Flood Map is to provide an illustration of the areas throughout Northern Ireland that are estimated to be at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea.
The Map is designed to:
- Reduce flood risk by providing information on areas at risk.
- Encourage people living and working in areas prone to flooding to find out more and take appropriate action such as Flood mitigation
Flood mitigation
Flood mitigation involves managing the effects of flooding, such as redirecting flood run-off, rather than trying to prevent it altogether. It is management of people, through measures such as evacuation and dry/wet proofing properties for example....
.
- Inform anyone who wants to apply for planning permission if flooding is likely to be an important consideration.
.