Exeter Flood defences

Exeter Flood defences planning exercise

The Exeter flood defences provide an opportunity to plan a fieldwork visit, either on site or as a virtual fieldtrip. The information and links below provide the basis for designing activities. A risk assessment would b e necessary for an on-site visit with children.

Example Investigation title: Strategies to reduce flood risk at Exeter Quay

Location: Exeter’s historic Quay, on River Exe in Exeter, Devon

Logistics: Local parking available on west side of River Exe, for coaches and minibuses (pay). Public toilets on east side of river. Public access to both banks on riverbanks. Range of places to get food. River is deep and often fast flowing and is not suitable for measuring instruments at this site.

Equipment: not applicable

Data Collection opportunities: Photos of flood defences. Interviews with visitors. Interviews with shop owners/traders might be possible if arranged in advance. Attitude surveys. Views of stakeholders.

Data presentation/analysis opportunities: Proportion of people interviewed satisfied/dissatisfied with flood defences.

Evaluative issues: How successful are new flood defences against various criteria.

Further information: Contractors BAM Nuttall  https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/bam-mott-jv-starts-32m-exeter-flood-protection-work

https://ejmcgrath.co.uk/project/flood-defences-exeter/

Devon Live https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/latest-exeters-massive-32m-flood-2086418

Other comments:  This is a very accessible site and a walk around the area could be done in 60-90 minutes depending on amount of data collection. Site includes several places suitable for lunch break. Site can get very busy from April until August, and fieldwork groups would need to be aware of the needs of the public.