Climate change and flooding
There have been major floods in Salford in the past from the River Irwell, such as in 1946. Although flood defences have been improved, climate change means that we cannot afford to ignore the risk of flooding, either from the river or from local flooding incidents caused by heavy rainfall.
Climate change will lead to an increased risk of flooding due to:
- wetter winters overall
- an increase in periods of intense heavy rainfall
To find out if your home is at risk from river flooding, please visit the Environment Agency website. Our flooding advice for householders page gives more details of what to do if your home is at risk.
You can find out more about what the city council is doing to manage flood risk, on our flood risk pages. This includes a link to the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, which gives more technical details of flood risk in Salford.
Salford’s Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
The city council is using nature-based solutions to build resilience against possible future flooding and overheating within our city. One of these solutions is the installation of Sustainable urban Drainage Systems (SuDs) within our communities. SuDS slow the flow of rainfall entering drains, reduce surface flooding and potential environmental pollution. In many cases they also benefit biodiversity, reduce surfaces overheating and are generally nice to view.
SuDS can include green roofs and walls, street trees, naturalised green spaces, raingardens, ponds and wetlands, below ground storage and permeable surfaces.
Some of our SuDS schemes can be found on:
- Dales Brow
- Bloom Street
- Trafford Road
- Liverpool Road
- Carpino Place
- East Ordsall Lane
- Howard Street
- Bloom Street
- Trinity Way
Figure 1: Bloom Street
Figure 2: Carpino Place
Case Study – Dales Brow, Swinton
Dales Brow is a greenspace SuDS scheme to reduce surface water flooding the highway. Within the SuDS design, surface water is channelled beneath the pavement into shallow channels and leaky dams, filled with plants, until it flows into Deans Brook. This design diverts water from the public wastewater network and slows the water flow so that it does not overwhelm the brook. Forcing water through plants helps them thrive and absorbs some of the water, plants also filter any pollutants from entering the water course.
Figure 3: Greenspace on Dales Brow before SuDS scheme
Figure 4: SuDS leaky dam at Dales Brow
Figure 5: Planted swale at Dales Brow (photo credit: City of Trees)
Dales Brow was created through partnership with Salford City Council, the Environment Agency and City of Trees. It is a freely accessible recreational space for the community to use.
Walkden Neighborhood SuDS scheme
Consultation is underway for the first neighbourhood SuDS project in Greater Manchester.
Walkden has historically experienced a number of surface water and sewer flood events, and a high number of combined sewer overflows. SuDS features including, trees, rain gardens, pervious paving, and a pond are planned across three areas of greenspace and highways within Walkden as a natural solution to future flood events. These will be located on Whittle Street play area (also known as Manchester Road Park), pavement space across150-166 Walkden Road and Birch Road.
The project funding has been obtained from Salford City Council, United Utilities Green Recovery Fund, Environment Agency Grant in Aid and Greater Manchester Environment Fund.
In addition to significantly reducing the risk of surface water and sewer flooding, the project is estimated to deliver over £5 million worth of benefits to improved air quality, amenity value, health and wellbeing and local recreation.