Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure (FDRI)

An innovative long-term programme which, for the first time in the UK, will monitor the whole hydrological system, to improve resilience to floods and droughts.

FDRI will advance our understanding of how, when and where floods and droughts occur, enabling improved predictions, robust assessment of impacts and implementation of appropriate mitigation measures. It will help ensure that the UK continues to play a leading role in hydrological research and innovation, driving solutions worldwide.

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The £38 million project will establish a nationwide Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure, offering near real-time data to the hydrological community. Led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the project will deploy instruments for observing our water environment – measuring evaporation, soil moisture, weather, groundwater and river flows.

Working with partners and groups across the UK, it will catalyse innovation, provide novel digital solutions to support data, including discovery, access and integration and help build capacity in the hydrological community through training and skills sharing.

arial drone photo of Allerton Bywater in West Yorkshire showing flooded fields and farm

Why is UKRI investing in FDRI?

Floods and droughts cause significant economic, social and environmental impacts and they are predicted to increase in intensity, frequency, and duration in response to changes in climate and human activity. The need for new science to underpin the UK’s preparedness and resilience to these extreme events has never been more pressing.

Without a significant investment in whole-system, hydrological infrastructure, evidence to underpin the UK's resilience to increasingly intense and frequent flood and drought events will be limited, and the costs and damages to society and the environment will spiral upwards.

This significant infrastructure aims to address that need and support the hydrological community in informing solutions.

What will the impact of FDRI be?

FDRI will be available

For use by the hydrological community to support them in answering fundamental research and innovation questions. The overarching aim is to improve societal resilience to flood and drought events across the UK, using near real-time data.

FDRI will save money

FDRI will provide an impetus to the UK's economic leadership in flood and drought management, facilitating cost savings in construction, landscape management (green infrastructure solutions), insurance and technology (environmental sensing).

FDRI will benefit people

FDRI will benefit UK society by reducing the impact of floods and droughts and building resilience. It will generate evidence to develop and benchmark solutions such as resilient infrastructure, improve forecasting and deliver new technologies.

Working together

The FDRI will facilitate the hydrological science and innovation needed to make the country more adaptable and resilient to floods and droughts. The project requires cross-disciplinary research and cross-sector collaboration and is being delivered by experts from leading research institutes across the UK. The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is leading FDRI's implementation with partners - Imperial College London, University of Bristol and British Geological Survey - and will maintain its ongoing operation.

Would you like to be involved with the FDRI?

Are you a hydrologist, or someone that uses hydrological data, or involved in building new technologies and innovative solutions? If you are, we would be happy to involve you in the project. Please contact us by emailing FDRI@ceh.ac.uk to discuss opportunities.

General information:
The contribution of the hydrological community to the project is vital. This is your opportunity to become part of a collaborative, influential network. Your involvement will enable us to gain a clear understanding of the range and diversity of opinions and priorities across the community and will guide project outcomes. 

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