Review

Reviews of flood warning systems are often required following major flood events, and may form part of a programme of continuous improvement, sometimes linked to performance targets for different aspects of the system. Performance monitoring should ideally cover all aspects of the system, including detection, forecasting, dissemination, and response to warnings, together with feedback from users on satisfaction with the system. The lessons learned from post event assessments, and recommendations from regular reviews, can then guide future investments, and provide baseline information for use in economic assessment and prioritisation exercises. However, improvements need not necessarily require significant investment, and much can be gained from improving operating procedures, and closer collaboration between the various participants in the flood warning process, including communities and their representatives. This chapter discusses these various issues, and highlights some common themes from earlier chapters on ways of improving flood warning, forecasting and emergency response systems.