River modelling: technical standards and assessment
Standards for the flood risk management industry on how to build and review hydraulic models and provide evidence for flood risk management decisions.
- From:
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Environment Agency
- Published
- 13 August 2021
- Last updated
-
218DecemberMay20232026 — See all updates
Applies to England
Documents
Details
These standards are techniques that you can use in the fields of hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling. Use this best practice guidance to help you:
- build hydraulic models using the source, pathway, receptor and model approach concept
- review hydraulic models
- maintain consistency across the flood risk management industry
- improve the quality of your applications
- plan and prioritise targeted model updates
Technical standards
These standards are also available as a PDF (LIT56326) that gives more background information for hydraulic modelling and uses technical and scientific language.
Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the PDF.
Fluvial model assessment tool
You can use the Microsoft Excel-based fluvial model assessment tool (LIT56342) alongside these standards. The tool will help you assess the quality of a hydraulic model without completing a full technical review.
Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the tool.
Coastal modelling standards
We also provide coastal modelling standards. These explain how to:
- build and review open coast models
- provide evidence for coastal risk management decisions
Updates to this page
Published 13 August 2021
Last updated 218 DecemberMay 2023
+ show2026
href="#full-history">+ show all updates
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Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-05-08 10:02
Added a link to the new coastal modelling standards page
2023-12-21 16:23
Updated ‘Hydraulic modelling: best practice (model approach)’to link to new guidance on using modelling for flood risk assessments. Removed information on specific modelling software in the section ‘software: find the appropriate platform for your model’. Added information on coastal modelling.
2023-08-02 08:34
The a template has been updated to the flood estimation report template. This change is within the section “complete a method statement”. Also within section “include detailed reporting with flow estimation”. The flow chart figure has been corrected. This is within the section “use the FEH statistical method: peak flood estimates”.
Details
These standards are techniques that you can use in the fields of hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling. Use this best practice guidance to help you:
- build hydraulic models using the source, pathway, receptor and model approach concept
- review hydraulic models
- maintain consistency across the flood risk management industry
- improve the quality of your applications
- plan and prioritise targeted model updates
Technical standards
These standards are also available as a PDF (LIT56326) that gives more background information for hydraulic modelling and uses technical and scientific language.
Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the PDF.
Fluvial model assessment tool
You can use the Microsoft Excel-based fluvial model assessment tool (LIT56342) alongside these standards. The tool will help you assess the quality of a hydraulic model without completing a full technical review.
Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the tool.
Coastal modelling standards
We also provide coastal modelling standards. These explain how to:
- build and review open coast models
- provide evidence for coastal risk management decisions
Updates to this page
Published 13 August 2021
Last updated 218 DecemberMay 2023
+ show2026
href="#full-history">+ show all updates
-
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-05-08 10:02
Added a link to the new coastal modelling standards page
2023-12-21 16:23
Updated ‘Hydraulic modelling: best practice (model approach)’to link to new guidance on using modelling for flood risk assessments. Removed information on specific modelling software in the section ‘software: find the appropriate platform for your model’. Added information on coastal modelling.
2023-08-02 08:34
The a template has been updated to the flood estimation report template. This change is within the section “complete a method statement”. Also within section “include detailed reporting with flow estimation”. The flow chart figure has been corrected. This is within the section “use the FEH statistical method: peak flood estimates”.
Details
These standards are techniques that you can use in the fields of hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling. Use this best practice guidance to help you:
- build hydraulic models using the source, pathway, receptor and model approach concept
- review hydraulic models
- maintain consistency across the flood risk management industry
- improve the quality of your applications
- plan and prioritise targeted model updates
Technical standards
These standards are also available as a PDF (LIT56326) that gives more background information for hydraulic modelling and uses technical and scientific language.
Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the PDF.
Fluvial model assessment tool
You can use the Microsoft Excel-based fluvial model assessment tool (LIT56342) alongside these standards. The tool will help you assess the quality of a hydraulic model without completing a full technical review.
Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk to request a copy of the tool.
Coastal modelling standards
We also provide coastal modelling standards. These explain how to:
- build and review open coast models
- provide evidence for coastal risk management decisions
Updates to this page
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-05-08 10:02
Added a link to the new coastal modelling standards page
2023-12-21 16:23
Updated ‘Hydraulic modelling: best practice (model approach)’to link to new guidance on using modelling for flood risk assessments. Removed information on specific modelling software in the section ‘software: find the appropriate platform for your model’. Added information on coastal modelling.
2023-08-02 08:34
The a template has been updated to the flood estimation report template. This change is within the section “complete a method statement”. Also within section “include detailed reporting with flow estimation”. The flow chart figure has been corrected. This is within the section “use the FEH statistical method: peak flood estimates”.