Aardman film spotlights groundwater flooding in new national initiative

The film follows Darcy, a lonely mole searching for love, who is suddenly swept away by rising groundwater. Darcy’s Tale explores how groundwater flooding occurs and underscores the importance of communities and flood industry professionals working together to be better prepared.

The animation supports ‘Let’s Talk Groundwater Flooding’, a new national network created by three groundwater flooding projects, funded by Defra as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes, which is managed by the Environment Agency. The programmes will drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.

Speaking on behalf of Let’s Talk Groundwater Flooding, Meshi Taka, project lead at Project Groundwater Northumbria, said: “Groundwater flooding is one of the least understood types of flooding in England, yet it can be devastating, often causing disruptions that last for weeks or even months.

“It tends to surface weeks after long periods of heavy rain, causing damage to property, buildings and roads. It can overwhelm drainage and sewer networks, contaminate water, and make toilets and showers unusable for long periods”

The data available surrounding the number of homes at risk of groundwater flooding is currently uncertain. Certain regions, including the North East, Greater Lincolnshire, and the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs, are particularly vulnerable due to the porous nature of local geology such as limestone and chalk formations.

Ms Taka continued: “Because there is little known about this type of flooding, people are often unprepared, making it harder to recover.

“Our research focuses on high-risk areas such as the North East, Greater Lincolnshire, and the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs. Coal mining works in the north, for example, is why the area is more susceptible to groundwater flooding.

“We're improving awareness, developing advanced warning systems, and exploring natural flood management to better protect communities.

“By expanding our Let’s Talk Groundwater Flooding network, we will accelerate learning, enabling more collaboration and better preparedness.”

Julie Foley, Director of Flood Risk Strategy & National Adaptation at the Environment Agency, said: “We are proud to have collaborated with our Project Groundwater colleagues on the development of the Let’s Talk Groundwater Flooding network and with Aardman on Darcy’s Tale, made possible with funding from our £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation programmes.

“Recent months have shown the impact that groundwater flooding can have on communities. By working with an iconic British institution like Aardman, our vital work to raise awareness of the impact and severity of groundwater flooding will reach more people across the country.

“It’s crucial for the public to understand their risk from flooding and we encourage people to use our new digital service to check their long-term flood risk.”

Åsa Lucander Director of the short film at Aardman added: "When we were approached by the Let’s Talk Groundwater Flooding team to help raise awareness of groundwater flooding, we knew this was an important issue to highlight in a creative and engaging way and were keen to be involved.

“Animation has the power to bring complex issues to life, and we hope Darcy’s Tale helps people understand the risks and how by supporting each other, we can build a brighter future together."

You can watch the Aardman short film here: www.letstalkgroundwaterflooding.org

Let’s Talk Groundwater Flooding was established by three Project Groundwater teams across England to help the public better understand and prepare for groundwater flooding. The network wants to connect groundwater flooding experts nationwide to share ideas, conduct vital research, and work alongside communities to boost their resilience.

For more information, please visit: www.projectgroundwater.co.uk