New partnership to assess flood risk on major infrastructure

Flood risk and resilience assessments on major infrastructure projects could be more easily assessed, thanks to a new partnership between Mott MacDonald and Fathom, a global leader in flood risk intelligence.

The deal gives Mott MacDonald, a major engineering, management and development consultancy, access to additional state-of-the-art flood risk data sets, creating industry leading flood hazard and risk modelling for its clients on the level of risk they might face.

Fathom’s Climate Dynamic framework allows future changes in climate conditions to be integrated into flood modelling to predict changes in the level of risk under a range of different emission scenarios and time horizons, anywhere in the world and with the same high resolution. 

Access to predictive flooding information is particularly valuable to the decision-making process for resilience investments, ensuring that both existing and new infrastructure operates successfully for decades. 

Mott MacDonald routinely advises clients globally at all stages of the infrastructure lifecycle, from planning and design to operation and decommission.

David Ocio, Mott MacDonald’s climate resilience technical director, Mott MacDonald, said: “In many parts of the world, the absence of open access high-resolution flooding data becomes a blocker for the delivery of projects. 

“This partnership will enable our clients to better consider the potential impacts of flooding on the integrity and performance of their infrastructure, as well as the safety of communities.” 

Flooding is one of the biggest climate risks on the planet, affecting communities, the environment and infrastructure. 

With increases in extreme rainfall and a rise in sea levels, the frequency and magnitude of flooding is likely to increase in many parts of the world and it is therefore critical for organisations to understand the risks in order to adapt and invest in appropriate solutions.

Gavin Lewis, head of engineering, at Fathom, said: “Climate change will have a profound impact on future flooding, and flood risk intelligence is becoming essential for the engineering industry to protect new and existing infrastructure. 

“This partnership is a testament to the quality and value of our data, and we’re excited to be working together with one of the most respected engineering consultancies to support the delivery of flood risk and resilience assessments for infrastructure projects.”