The benefits of flood and coastal risk management: a manual of assessment techniques

The Benefits of Flood and Coastal Risk Management: A Handbook of Assessment Techniques. This is intended to be a stand-alone "How to do it" guide to assessing the benefits of flood and coastal erosion risk management. The Handbook aims to provide a step-by-step approach to the techniques and information needed to undertake evaluation of the benefits for most straightforward risk management projects (probably 75-80% of all cases) and to offer a greater understanding of the principle that for most cases appraisal effort should be proportionate to the scale and scope of the decisions required. The Handbook should be sufficient to guide economic appraisal with the minimum of effort for the majority of flood and coastal erosion risk management projects. However, assessments are not always straightforward and and the Handbook is supplemented by the much more extensive Manual

This Manual was produced by the Flood Hazard Research Centre (FHRC) at Middlesex University, under the Policy Development theme of the joint Defra and Environment Agency R&D programme. The final text is the result of collaboration between FHRC, its partnering research establishments and other stakeholders, with advice from Defra and the EA, and is designed to cross-refer to the accompanying Multi-Coloured Handbook and CD. The aim of research behind the Manual has been to improve efficiency and consistency in benefit assessment within flood and coastal erosion risk management appraisal. To this aim, the Manual provides readers with: ? Access to the rationale and background on the appraisal techniques, with links to the practical methods presented in the Handbook. ? A single appraisal compendium of research by the FHRC, covering the past decade, with updates to concepts introduced in the Centre?s previous Manuals, and reporting on most recent research arising from ?The Roadtesting Project?. ? Approaches that support sustainable development. The Manual has been updated to reflect policies set out in the HM Treasury ?Green Book? (HM Treasury 2003), Defra Flood and Coastal Management Project Appraisal Guidance, and subsequent interim guidance. The Manual, in reinforcing traditional appraisal approaches, is seen by Defra, as a useful document of reference. The Manual?s development has faced challenges set by the emerging policy agenda and the Government strategy Making Space for Water. It is likely that this will lead to further developments in appraisal methodology that will, for example, better identify gains and losses to individuals and different sectors, and make more use of approaches such as multicriteria analysis

An updated and improved version of "The benefits of flood alleviation: a manual of assessment techniques (The blue manual), 1977 and other FHRC manuals