Water and Climate Change

In February 2014, the coastal town of Dawlish experienced a powerful storm that battered the area, flooding homes and businesses, destroying sea walls and washing away the railway line, leaving the South West cut off from the rest of the UK for weeks. Millions have been invested fortifying the seawall, but experts warn that such extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent.

Hi. I’m Arno. I’m with the Aquanauts. 

We’re wild about water and how to make sure there’s enough for everyone who needs it now and in years to come.

Here at Aquanaut HQ, we’re looking at climate change.

Flooding has always been a seasonal problem, but it’s happening more and more frequently and with significant consequences. The crazy thing is the amount of water on Earth hasn’t changed since the time of dinosaurs.

Every drop you drink is the same that a T-Rex might have gulped down. But climate change is making this ancient resource a real headache, threatening us with both too much and too little. Let’s dive into how we need to change our infrastructure to stay afloat.

England’s supposedly rainy weather may be the butt of many jokes, but parts of the UK are actually running out of water. Amazingly London and the South East are as dry as parts of Australia and Kenya, with average rainfall of less than 600 millimetres a year.

To make matters worse, many people live in the South East and nearly a third of our groundwater and a fifth of our rivers and reservoirs are being sucked dry faster than they can refill. This is unsustainable and could leave us high and dry! To help, new reservoirs are being built across the country, with pipe networks to move water between different regions.

We also need to stop over-using aquifers – natural underground water stores. Taking out more water than nature puts in is like using up your phone battery faster than you can charge it. Eventually, you’re left with nothing but a dead phone or in this case, dry taps.

It’s not just a local issue. Rivers around the world are drying up before they even reach the sea, and big lakes are shrinking and even disappearing.

Aquafact – The Victorians straightened many rivers believing it would improve the land. In reality, it just made the water run faster and carry away precious nutrients.

Curvy is better than straight when you want to slow things down! That’s something that’s happening in the New Forest, with rivers being given back their natural curves to help enhance wildlife habitats.  Allowing water to flow naturally and meander slowly through the landscape helps when there’s high rainfall, reducing erosion and the risk of flooding in built up areas.

Climate change is messing with the water cycle, causing longer dry spells followed by intense rainfalls. This back-and-forth of extreme weather is a disaster for our current infrastructure.   

Aquafact – There were 12 storms in the UK between 2023 and 2024, double the amount from a few years earlier.

So, as well as putting curves back in, how can we fix this watery dilemma?

Well, we need to beef up our flood defences. Flooding is not just about getting your feet wet, it can ruin homes and infrastructures, as well as cut off towns and transport links. Flood defences like sea walls, barriers and embankments, as well as flood risk management are vital to build our resilience and ability to recover faster. We also need to think about nature based solutions that are more permeable and use less concrete. Even with all these solutions, people in flood risk areas need to take measures to make their homes flood secure, such as flood gates or even houses on stilts.

To keep our transport infrastructure safe, we need to think big. That might include raising road levels and installing new structures like embankments and improving drainage with better culverts and permeable surfaces that allow water to seep into the ground and reduce runoff.

On the railways, floodwater can wash away the stones that support the tracks and get into vital signalling and other electronics, turning rail journeys into risky business. Reinforcing slopes with steel rods and better drainage can keep landslides at bay. After all, nobody wants to be delayed by a giant pile of mud! Find out more with Network Rail.

So… on one hand climate change affects the amount of water to go around – but on the other there’s too much water to cope with. 

Are there any ways to put flood water to good use?

Infrastructure companies and landowners can work together to divert flood water towards reservoirs and green spaces, providing more sources for daily use and helping habitats thrive.

From rain gardens and green roofs that soak up water to more resilient infrastructure, every little bit helps. For those dry spells, let’s get creative with water recycling and smarter irrigation for farms.

YOU can be an Aquanaut by helping your local area deal with excess rainwater by giving it places to drain away, like keeping natural grass in your garden rather than paving it over or replacing with artificial grass.  You should also report blocked drains when you spot them.

You can also explore a career in water tech. 

Water Workers

There’s a wide range of jobs across the water sector and today’s water worker is Flood Engineers.

Flood engineers, also known as flood risk engineers or flood risk consultants, are experts who design and manage structures to reduce the risk of flooding. They work with clients to identify and mitigate flood risks associated with development projects.

Flood engineers use their expertise to reduce the risk of flooding by designing structures like dams, drainage networks and sea walls. They also manage rivers and even the sea through beach nourishment.

Take the challenge!

Use the Climate Change Art Project to illustrate the impact of climate change on water flow, including increased flooding and droughts, whilst raising awareness about its effects. Ready? Download here!

Want to know more?

‘This is Engineering’ is an initiative led by the Royal Academy of Engineering in partnership with EngineeringUK and major engineering organisations to encourage young people from all backgrounds to consider a career in engineering. Click HERE to find out more… or perhaps visit the Museum of Engineering Innovation.

Stick with us and we’re gonna be helping you understand the challenges ahead, discover some of the cool engineering and careers that are solving problems today and find out how we can all make a difference with more tips so YOU can be an Aquanaut too!

AQUANAUTS! CREATED WITH SUPPORT FROM A ROYAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING INGENIOUS GRANT AND CARDIFF UNIVERSITY.