Glencoe River Survey

The area around Glencoe, Scotland, might be most famous for a massacre in 1692, and of course its spectacular natural beauty, but the biggest threat it faces now is from flooding. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency wanted to provide a flood map on its website for the public to raise awareness of flood risks around Scotland. However, rural outposts provide testing terrain, so the organisation hired RSK to survey a large section of the River Coe near Glencoe Village.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency required cross-section illustrations that cut through the river and floodplain and showed any obstructions to flow such as bridges, culverts and riverbeds. RSK’s survey team picked up about 30 sections and surveyed the up- and downstream faces and several bridges and culverts using real-time kinematic GPS. Data specialists processed the results and uploaded the easy-to-read information directly onto the client’s 2D modelling platform.

The map presents a Scotland-wide picture of the flood risk areas from rivers and the sea if there were no flood defences. In addition to raising awareness of the risks of flooding, the map aims to encourage people to take action through initiatives by reducing the risk to themselves, their properties and possessions. RSK was happy to participate in a project that demonstrates its commitment to the highest standards of health and safety performance.