Floods: An inside look at the Environment Agency's response

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Video 1

High-tech equipment and old-fashioned experience combine in the Environment Agency's nerve centre to combat flooding problems, Kelly Rawlings reports.

Since the deluge of rain that swamped Maidenhead and other parts of the country in the July 2007 floods, the EA has been pouring money and resource into protecting people from river flooding.

In the Thames region £17m has been spent on flood defence schemes and an extra 16,000 people have signed up to the free flood alert system which notifies homeowners when a flood warning is put in place.

But how does the EA respond when the rains come? The answer is that staff leap into action and man an Incident Room, such as the newly refurbished one at the South East headquarters in Frimley, Surrey.

Using forecasting, hydrometry and on-the-ground expertise, staff use flood risk management systems to alert residents at risk. It covers an area with more than 100,000 homes in the flood plain.

Watch our video report here to find out how the Incident Room work and for an insight into the Jubilee River.

For free flood information call 0845 9881188 or visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodline