About | Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure

What is the 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.

FDRI is a new 5-year capital investment by the UK Government enabling essential science and innovation to improve the country’s resilience to hydrological extremes. It will enable focused observations of water input, movement, and storage in three river basins, one in England, Wales and Scotland, with mobile instruments available for UK-wide deployment. 

FDRI will:

Advance our understanding

FDRI will facilitate advances in our understanding of how, when and where floods and droughts occur, enabling improved predictions, robust assessment of impacts and implementation of appropriate mitigation measures.

Feature a network of instrumented basins

A network of instrumented basins will be installed to provide nationally relevant data, including deployable mobile instrumentation that will meet UK-wide science needs.

More about FDRI observatory locations

Transform access to monitoring data

Cutting edge technologies will deliver integrated data from FDRI monitoring alongside data from existing hydrological monitoring and transform the way researchers access and use it.

More about FDRI data

Build capacity for the future

FDRI will build leadership skills - sharing, training and inclusion - for collaboration now and developing the next generation of world-leading hydrological researchers.

More about capacity building

Be innovative

An innovation programme and field testbeds will support and catalyse research and development of the most advanced monitoring technologies, in line with the UK Innovation Strategy.

More about FDRI innovation

When and how will FDRI be implemented?

As a NERC National Capability delivery partner, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is leading FDRI’s implementation and will support its operation beyond 2029.

The FDRI project includes four phases.

FDRI phases diagram

(A text description of this image is provided at the end of this page)

Our partners at the University of Bristol, British Geological Survey and Imperial College London are working with us to deliver the implementation phase. We are also seeking input from the FDRI Community Advisory Group and other stakeholders.

Where will the FDRI Sites be located?

After detailed investigation by our delivery team, supported by careful evaluation from our Community Advisory Group, unanimous support was given for observations in three basins: Thames (Chess), Severn, and Tweed.

More about FDRI observatory

Text description of the FDRI phases figure:

The four phases are arranged in a horizontal row. They are:

Phase 1: Scoping. 2020 to 2022.
Phase 2: Planning and design. 2022 to 2024.
Phase 3: Implementation. 2024 - 2029.
Phase 4: Operation. 2029 onwards.

Below each phase is further text:

Scoping phase features: Community engagement; identify priorities; define scope.
Planning and design phase features: Business case development; detailed design; co-design with existing infrastructure; keep community informed.
Implementation phase features: Procure, build and test; establish innovation programme; establish capacity building programme; engage community; data access.
Operational phase features: Maintain and develop infrastructure; enable science community.

Significant events are marked on the timeline:

Between phases 1 and 2, UKRI announced intent to fund (38 million pounds over 5 years); Reports published.
Between phases 2 and 3: Funding secured.
Between phases 3 and 4: Infrastructure installed.