26 November 2025
The annual Wales National Flood Conference is organised by the CIWEM Welsh branch in partnership with ICE Cymru and will be a hybrid event like last year. This event provides a fantastic opportunity to learn about the latest developments in flood risk management in Wales and to network with professionals from across the sector.
In its 22nd year, the conference will explore the theme of “Engineering and Nature: Seeking Balance in Flood Risk Management”. Delegates will learn about how the Welsh Government (Llywodraeth Cymru), Natural Resources Wales (Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru) are encouraging a natural flood management approach to deal with flood and coastal erosion and to mitigate against the climate emergency.
Delegates will hear from speakers from the Welsh Government (Llywodraeth Cymru), and Natural Resources Wales (Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru), with a recorded keynote message from Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, as well as Ceredigion County Council (Cyngor Sir Ceredigion) the Environment Agency and various consultancy partners, including Arup, Binnies, JBA Consulting Littorina, and WaterCo.
In addition, we will be holding the annual Early Careers Poster Presentation Competition and will presenting the award at the end of the conference.
CIWEM and ICE Wales (ICE Cymru) members and non-members welcome. There will be plenty of chances to network with like-minded professionals before and after the event.
Please note that bookings for our in-person tickets are now closed but you can still book your online tickets for the conference until 06:00 on Wednesday 26 November 2025.
Part of the CIWEM Flood Resilience and Adaption series.
Register for 26 November 2025 ONLINE ticketsARUP are kindly sponsoring this years’ poster presentation competition. The poster subject matter may relate to any aspect of flooding, or flood risk management work. Although, posters relating to this year’s conference theme of “Engineering and Nature; Seeking Balance in Flood Risk Management” are encouraged.
The competition involves the creation of an engaging poster and a five-minute (or less) verbal presentation of the poster with follow up questions and discussion with the judges. Competition entrants should be working towards membership of CIWEM or ICE.
The winner will receive an engraved trophy and a £150 prize at the conference. All entrants will also receive free entry to the event.
Go to the Award page for details about the competition09:00 | Registration, coffee and exhibition viewing
10:00
Welcome Beth Jones | CIWEM Welsh Branch Chair
SESSION 1 | Policy
Session Chair: George Baker | CIWEM Welsh Branch Committee Member
10:05 – 10:15
Welsh Government Keynote Address
Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
This is a recorded message.
10:15 – 10:35
Welsh Government and Coastal Risk Management Programme, CRMP Overview
Thomas McLean | Welsh Government Llwodraeth Cymru
10:35 – 10:50
Natural Resources Wales Overview
Jeremy Parr | Natural Resources Wales Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru
10:50 – 11:15
Q&A and Discussion
11:15 – 11:45 | Coffee and Exhibition Viewing
SESSION 2 – Engineering in Wales
Session Chair: Tara Sirati | ICE Wales Cymru
11:45 – 12:00
The Porthcawl Sandy Bay Coastal Scheme: Integrating Ecology into Coastal Defences
Robin Campbell | Arup and Ruth Callaway | Littorina
12:00 – 12:15
Coastal Adaptation and evidence-based adaptive management thresholds and options
Rick Park | Natural Resources Wales Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru and Mohammad Ahmad | Binnies
12:15 = 12:30
Preserving Aberaeron’s Heritage and Future Through Climate Adaptation: The Coastal Defence Scheme
Alan Haird | Ceredigion County Council Cyngor Sir Ceredigion
12:30 – 12:45
Cardiff Coastal Defence Scheme
Anne-Marie Moon | JBA Consulting
12:45 – 13:00
Q & A / Discussion
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch, Exhibition Viewing & Poster Competition
SESSION 3 – Nature based Solutions
Session Chair: Ross Akers | Natural Resources Wales Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru
14:00 – 14:15
Putting the design of Nature based Solutions into your hands
Alexander Nicholson | Arup
14:15 – 14:30
Evidence-based Natural Flood Management: Insights from the Updated Working with Natural Process Evidence Directory
Mary Baldwin | JBA Consulting
14:30 – 14:45
Welsh Government Funded Natural Flood Management – Five Years On
Mike Wellington and Megan Williams | Waterco
14:45 - 15:00
Severn Valley Water Management Scheme
Mike Adams | Environment Agency
15:00 – 15:15
Q & A / Discussion
15:15 – 15:20
Post competition reward
Robert Davies | Arup
15:20 - 15:30
Conference Concluding Remarks
Tara Sirati | ICE Wales Cymru
15:30 | Close of conference and disperse to drinks reception
This event is open to members and non-members of CIWEM and ICE Cymru.
Please register your place by clicking on the registration button when bookings open. Non-members who have not registered for the CIWEM system can create an account on the booking page in order to reserve their place. This should not take more than two minutes.
If you have any questions about your booking or would like to cancel your attendance, please contact barbara.woods@ciwem.org.
Please note that registrations for the in-person tickets are now closed.
However, registrations for the online tickets will remain open until 06:00 on the day of the event. If you have not registered before that time, unfortunately we cannot add you to the event.
If you have any queries about this event, please contact Bethlyn Jones at bethlyn.jones@jbaconsulting.com.
The event will take place at the Novotel Hotel, Schooner Way, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF10 4RT. The venue is only fifteen minutes’ walk from Cardiff Central railway station and several bus routes run near the venue.
Travelling to the venue
As part of CIWEM’s commitment to tackling the climate and ecological emergency we would encourage delegates to use the most environmentally sustainable means of transport possible.
By Train
Cardiff Central railway station is the nearest mainline railway station to the Novotel Hotel and is in Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1EP. Great Western Railways, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales trains all go to Cardiff Central railway station for all those coming from outside the city.
By Bus | Coach
The no. 305 bus route runs near the Novotel Hotel. It is a three minutes’ walk from the train station to the Cardiff Bus Interchange, bay 13, Dinas Powys Square. Catch the 305 and go three stops to the Hanover Hotel and alight. It is a 1 minute’ walk to the venue.
If you are coming by coach, Cardiff coach station is located at Sophia Gardens, 2 Sophia Close, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9HW. It is 29 minutes by public transport from the venue.
By foot | cycle
The Novotel Hotel is only fifteen minutes’ and 30 minutes’ walk from Cardiff Central railway station and coach station respectively and seven or eleven minutes’ cycle ride.
By car
If you are coming by car, please consider sharing the journey with others to reduce your environmental footprint.
As this is an in-person event, please remain vigilant to control the spread of COVID-19 and stay safe.
We request that if you think you might have contracted COVID or have recently had the disease, that you do not attend the conference.
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