SFF Winter 2025_26 Newsletter

27/02/2026

Subject:

Winter 2025/26 Newsletter

From:

"The Scottish Flood Forum" <kasha@scottishfloodforum.org>

Sent:

26/02/2026 15:26:31

To:

"Jill Corlett" <kirkmahoe@gmail.com>

Winter Newsletter Welcome to our latest newsletter The signs of Spring are starting to appear - days are lengthening, temperatures are on the rise and snowdrops are poking through the ground. After the rainfall of recent weeks it is a welcome sight. As I look round my home and garden and start to draw up my list of spring cleaning and maintenance chores, I am reminded to check our PFR and, if it hasn’t been used so far this season, to test it.

Weather patterns have been so unpredictable that it pays to use this opportunity of checking over your own household measures or, if you are a group, to replenish flood pods and review those flood action plans if they have been deployed during the recent weather events.

The team have some useful information to help new readers of this newsletter to better understand the different types of flood risk. Flooding can happen at any time of year. It is also the time of year to renew insurance policies for our homes and cars, and Shona has some useful advice to share which will help with preparation.

Flo, the flood bus, has been out on the road already this year and, if you would like to see her in your area this spring, then drop us an email.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes Carol and the SFF team

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Community News Community-Led Flood Evidence in Carstairs Junction

Over the past year, our small rural community of Carstairs Junction in South Lanarkshire has been working to better understand the flooding issues that affect local roads, access routes, and surrounding land.

As a newly formed charity, Soul of the Junction SCIO, we are used to responding to immediate community needs. However, flooding is one of those issues that often go unreported unless it directly affects homes. Many residents had experienced flooded roads, fields, and access paths, but there was no single place where this information was recorded.

With encouragement from the Scottish Flood Forum, we began a simple but structured process of collecting local evidence.

How we gathered the information Between September and December 2025, we carried out community-led research to identify and document flooding hotspots. This included: Photographing recurring problem areas Recording approximate dates and conditions Noting the impact on roads, access lanes, and daily routines Reviewing earlier photos and videos from winter 2024–25 to show patterns over time We focused particularly on: The road between Carnwath and Carstairs Junction Low-lying surrounding fields The lane connecting Pettinain Road and Coronation Street, an important route to the local school and shop

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We also compared our findings with SEPA flood map layers to understand how community observations aligned with official flood risk data.

Why this was important Our aim was not to wait until properties flooded, but to help the community become more prepared and better informed. By gathering evidence early, we can support discussions with the Council and other partners about practical measures, awareness, and long-term resilience.

The process also helped bring residents into the conversation. People were keen to share their experiences once they realised the information would be used constructively.

What happens next The evidence has now been shared with the Council, with support from the Scottish Flood Forum. We hope this will lead to further discussions around community resilience, adaptation, and potential solutions.

This work has also connected naturally with wider climate adaptation priorities in the area, including nature-based approaches and community awareness.

We are grateful to the Scottish Flood Forum, and especially Kasha, for the guidance and patience that allowed us to carry out this research thoroughly.

For us, this has been a reminder that even small communities can take meaningful steps towards understanding risks and preparing for the future.

By Soul of the Junction SCIO

Perth Community Flood Aid Perth Community Flood Aid (PCFA) will have been a constituted group for 2 years in March. As well as providing Sandbag Stations and resources residents can use to protect their properties and trying to increase the awareness and installation of Property Flood Resilience (PFR), we are trying to increase volunteer numbers so that we can help more vulnerable residents.

Since the flood event on the 21st of July, Perth has been lucky compared to other areas over the last few months, with just one weather event causing limited surface water flooding on 27th January. The Cherrybank PCFA subgroup deployed their barriers, but they were not required in the end - a useful training exercise, nonetheless.

Doug from the Scottish Flood Forum spent time with us to develop our Community Deployment Plan.

This was an invaluable exercise, and we want to thank Doug for all his help.

The Perth Film Society were showing Oscar winning film “Flow” in January - an independent animated film, with no dialogue, that follows a cat trying to survive along with other animals in a seemingly post-apocalyptic world as the water level dramatically rises, and I was invited to give a presentation regarding how PCFA came about, what we have helped achieve so far, and our plans going forward. If you have not seen Flow I can heartily recommend it. If you are fortunate enough to see it wait until after the credits roll - there is an extra scene!

When sharing SEPA and Met Office warnings, and the essential impact matrix, over the last few months, we have been trying to increase the understanding of the differences between the various levels; a further block of 4 flats had airbricks fitted, with another resident waiting for the installation of barriers and airbricks; we took delivery of our new branded polo-shirts and sweatshirts, which we will wear at information sharing events and talks and pens, which we can hand out to help spread the

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word about flood resilience. We are also collating information to produce a localised Flood Information Booklet.

PCFA attended the public consultation of the Perth Surface Water Management Plan. We had a table set up with some PFR measures and literature on others, along with our newsletters and information about our sandbag stations and website. I also met residents who were looking for advice on PFR. Finally, the local newspaper, the Courier, did a feature on PCFA and flood related experiences of my family. I hope you can read it using the link below: https://shorturl.at/ha3BV

By Janice Haig, Chairperson Perth Community Flood Aid

The SFF news Update on FLO, the SFF Flood Bus Falkland Christmas Market FLO was invited to Falkland Christmas Market on the 6th of December. This was a well-attended event but, we did struggle for attention against Santa and his reindeer that day!

Callander High School We visited Callander High School on the 16th of January, for a joint event with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and Callander Flood Group. Together with supporting partners, Stirling Council Resilience Team, Forth Rivers Trust and Climate Forth we held a variety of indoor/outdoor sessions for around 120 S3 pupils.

Verture Flood Resilience Conference We had FLO again this year at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh for the Venture Flood Resilience Conference on the 27th – 28th of January. Unfortunately, the weather was not great on day one but thankfully the sun did come out on day two.

If you have any up-and-coming events that would benefit from FLO attending, then please get in touch by sending an email either to Derek@scottishfloodforum.org or to info@scottishfloodforum.org.

By Derek Sloan

Understanding Flood Risks Flooding remains one of Scotland’s most significant natural hazards. From major cities to rural and coastal communities, several different types of flooding can occur — each with its own causes and impacts.

River Flooding (Fluvial) Occurs after prolonged or heavy rainfall causes rivers to overflow.

Common along the River Clyde, River Don, River Nith, River South Esk and the River Tay

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Often affects farmland and towns built on floodplains More frequent during autumn and winter

Surface Water Flooding (Pluvial) Happens when intense rainfall overwhelms drainage systems or falls on ground already saturated with water.

Increasingly common in urban areas Can occur quickly after heavy downpours Floods roads, homes, and transport networks Coastal Flooding Caused by storm surges and high tides along Scotland’s extensive coastline.

Sea-level rise is increasing long-term risk Often linked to severe winter storms Often associated with scour or erosion damage that contributes to flooding Groundwater Flooding Results from prolonged rainfall raising underground water levels.

More common in areas with permeable soils Can persist for weeks or months May cause structural damage to buildings Infrastructure & Drainage Issues Flooding can also result from: Blocked culverts Overloaded drainage systems Unmaintained drainage systems Looking Ahead Climate projections suggest that Scotland will experience wetter winters and more intense rainfall events. This increases the likelihood of both river and surface water flooding. In addition, sea-level rise will heighten coastal risks.

Find Out Your Flood Risk Residents and businesses are encouraged to check their local flood risk using the official flood maps provided by SEPA. These maps show river, surface water and coastal flood risk areas and are regularly updated.

Visit the SEPA website and search for “Flood Maps” to view detailed information for your area and sign up for flood alerts.

Staying informed and prepared remains the best defence against flood risk.

By Doug MacPhee

Spring Flooding Risks in Scotland: What You Should Know Before we look at what may happen in the spring, it’s helpful to briefly reflect on the conditions

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experienced over the winter period.

Flooding impacts varied significantly Scotland:

across

North & North-East Scotland experienced the most sustained flood risk through winter 2025–26.

Eastern regions (Angus & Perthshire) faced repeated heavy‑rain warnings and prolonged pressure on river systems.

South-West Scotland was affected during major storm events, though impacts tended to be shorter in duration.

Many areas across Scotland dealt with persistent ground saturation, meaning that even moderate rainfall had the potential to cause flooding.

Spring brings lighter days and milder weather — but it also brings seasonal flood risk. As winter shifts into spring, Scotland can experience a challenging mix of: Persistent heavy rainfall Snowmelt from higher ground High tides and coastal influence Together, these factors can lead to rising water levels and pressure on rivers, burns, and drainage systems.

Here are the key impacts you may notice during spring: Flooding can develop slowly over several hours or days Roads, farmland, and some properties may become inaccessible Travel delays and disruption are common in affected areas

By Kasha Jarosz

The Scottish Flood Resilience Conference 2026, organised by Verture, took place on the 27 - 28 January 2026 in Edinburgh. Marking a year of progress since the launch of Scotland’s Flood Resilience Strategy, the conference focused on what needs to happen next. It brought together organisations, councils, community groups, and national bodies to discuss how Scotland can become better prepared for flooding.

You can watch some of the session videos here: Verture Vimeo’s

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To join the discussion, hear directly what is happening and bring your community voice, you can take part online or in person in 2027. Dates and further information will be available around October 2026 via the Verture website - Flood Resilience.

Insurance Check-In With persistent rainfall becoming an unwelcome visitor so far this year and groundwater levels rising in some areas, it is a good moment to review your home insurance. Most standard policies cover river, coastal, and surface-water flooding, but groundwater flooding (when water rises from beneath the ground) isn’t always included and can sometimes be unclear in the small print. Take a few minutes to check your policy for any exclusions. If you’re unsure, contacting your insurer directly is the best way to confirm what’s covered and whether additional protection is available.

Could Your Home Benefit from Flood Re? Flood Re is a UK scheme designed to keep flood insurance affordable for homes at higher risk. You don’t apply yourself, insurers do this automatically if your property is eligible. To find out more and check eligibility visit www.floodre.co.uk British Insurance Brokers’ Association Insurer Directory The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA), the Association of British Insurers (ABI), and Flood Re have created a directory of vetted specialist firms who can help find suitable insurance solutions for homes with more complex flood-risk needs.

By Shona Sloan

Want more tips and practical flood advice?

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