England’s Flood Warning System to Run on Autopilot, Despite Inaccuracies

The Environment Agency has announced that it will be putting its flood warning system on permanent autopilot, despite ongoing concerns about its accuracy. The decision has been met with criticism from trade unions and members of the public who rely on the system, who argue that the absence of human intervention will lead to a significant increase in false alarms and inaccurate warnings.

The automated system, which has been trialling since December, is designed to provide real-time flood warnings to households across England. However, many of those who have used the system have reported receiving warnings that fail to materialise, or that warnings come after their homes have already been inundated.

According to an Environment Agency executive, the system is a “logical step” forward, despite the fact that it has received widespread criticism. Caroline Douglass, executive director for flood and coastal risk management, has stated that the agency has the technology and should use it, even if it means sacrificing some accuracy.

However, trade unions representing Environment Agency workers have been vocal in their opposition to the plans. Ben Middleton, national secretary at Prospect, argued that the automation of the system would lead to unnecessary alarms and a failure to spot developing problems. Donna Rowe Merriman, head of environment at Unison, added that the agency should be focusing on resolving staff shortages and resolving strikes, rather than relying on an automated system that is prone to errors.

The automated system is simpler than the traditional system, which is staffed by flood forecasters who review readings from river sensors and issue warnings based on their knowledge of local geography, weather forecasts, and groundwater levels. The automated system, on the other hand, relies solely on computer models and sensor readings, without any human intervention to check for anomalies or unrealistic predictions.

One resident of the River Wye in Herefordshire, who received a flood alert 24 hours after the highest peak in water levels for three years, described how the alert came after his home was already flooded. Heather Shepherd, of the National Flood Forum, which advocates for communities at risk of flooding, has also reported receiving false alarms from the automated system.

Despite the criticism, the Environment Agency has said that it is committed to improving the accuracy of the automated flood warning system and has taken on board feedback from the public. However, many remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the system, particularly in the absence of human judgment and expertise.