Glasgow City Council has recently completed the first phase of a Glasgow City Region City Deal funded project to improve greenspace and reduce flood risk in Penilee.

An underused area next to two 19-storey high-rise flats at Queensland Court and Gardens in Cardonald has been transformed into a vibrant urban park with a rich planting scheme that includes a residents' garden and outdoor socialising space to meet the needs of local residents, transforming the open space and providing improved resilience to flood risk.

When a gate in the River Clyde tidal weir failed in August 2017, the resulting drop in water level impacted the stability of a number of sections of upstream riverbank. The impact at a section of the south bank near Shawfield Drive, which forms part of a platform for future commercial office development, was to cause a partial collapse of the bank as well as separating the sustainable drainage (SuDS) pond outfall pipework constructed to serve the masterplan site.

The MGSDP has created a web-based GIS portal to share information on a range of projects and sustainable drainage (SuDS) interventions that have been delivered in the greater Glasgow area by the MGSDP and others, with the aim of raising awareness of the number and types of intervention that have been delivered.

In June Glasgow City Council, as Lead Local Authority for the Clyde and Loch Lomond Local Plan District, published the Section 38 Final Report for the Cycle 1 (2016-2022) Local Flood Risk Management Plan.

- In December, Glasgow City Council, as Lead Local Authority for the Clyde and Loch Lomond (CaLL) Local Plan District, published the CaLL Local Flood Risk Management Plan (LFRMP). This second LFRMP for the CaLL area is made available to anyone who wishes more detail on how and when the actions identified in the CaLL Flood Risk Management Plan will be delivered over the second Flood Risk Management planning cycle from 2022 to 2028.

- South Lanarkshire Council (SLC), working with SEPA, commissioned the River Clyde Flood Modelling and Mapping Study in October 2019, to develop a hydraulic flood model and map fluvial flooding for the River Clyde. The model will be used to assess the impacts of a range of fluvial events and climate scenarios on existing and future development along the non-tidal stretch of the river as part of the formal planning process. It will also inform the development of a number of flood studies for communities along the River Clyde.

- The Cuningar Loop Phase 2 project is an 8.53 hectare extension to the first phase of the Cuningar Loop park which has transformed previously vacant and derelict land into new and managed public park and woodland. Phase 2 opened in October 2022 and has been well used by the local community including the local schools and nurseries.

- On 23 November the new £3.1 million Dalmarnock Riverside Park was formally opened in Glasgow's east end, the fourth greenspace developed in recent years by regeneration specialist Clyde Gateway. Tom Arthur MSP, the Scottish Government's minister for public finance, planning and community wealth, opened the park by cutting a ribbon.

- In November, work was also completed on the £1m Old Dalmarnock Road Greenspace Improvement project to transform a neglected site in the East End of Glasgow into a community park. This project has transformed a 5.7 acre area of vacant land beside the Bridgeton Community Learning Campus into an 'active greenspace'.

- In September, SEPA launched its new Flood Warning Development Framework. This sets out a vision for maintaining and improving Scotland's forecasting and warning services over the next six years so communities are better prepared for future flooding to reduce risk to life, social impacts, property damage, business and infrastructure disruption.

- In September, SEPA launched the @SEPAFlood Twitter channel. This channel focuses on flooding updates and information for Scotland, including the 3-day Scottish Flood Forecast, and will provide information and advice on how to understand your flood risk and how to prepare to reduce the impacts of flooding.

- On 13 December, as part of a Sniffer 'lunch and learn' session, representatives from the MGSDP gave a presentation on the need to collaborate on the transition to a Water Resilient Places approach for our urban centres to adapt to a changing climate. The session was recorded and is available to view online.

- In October, SEPA made a set of flooding information available under Open Government Licence. The flood maps summarise the best publicly available information on flood hazard in Scotland. The other available datasets have helped to define the focus of national and local flood risk management plans designed to reduce the impacts of flooding for Scotland.

- In September the Place Standard Climate Lens was launched to help people understand how climate change might play out in a local area and support them to design their future place with climate in mind. The Climate Lens includes a suite of tools for facilitators and organisers of Place Standard sessions, and it follows the same, easy to use approach as the core Place Standard tool. Adding the Climate Lens to Place Standard sessions will help to consider how big trends such as climate change and decarbonisation might affect a place.

- In November, Glasgow City Council councillors received a report that outlined a new model of Tidal Flood Risk on the Clyde, the development of a long-term adaptation framework within Glasgow, and the completion of river design guidance, balancing regeneration of the River Clyde with the complexities of flood risk management.

- Glasgow City Council and SEPA have produced a new River Clyde Tidal Flood Model, covering the area on the river between Dalbeth in Glasgow and Greenock. The model confidently supports the information on the SEPA Flood Maps, and these will be updated in due course to take account of the information from the model.

- To showcase options for retrofit sustainable drainage interventions in the local community, a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) planter has been installed at Wellhouse Hub in the east end of Glasgow. The planter, provided by www.sudsplanter.com, is part of a range of options being considered by Scottish Water and Glasgow City Council to reduce flood risk for the area.

- In June, the first phase of a £1.2M Glasgow City Council project designed to improve greenspace and reduce flood risk, started on site at Penilee, in the south of Glasgow. The project, which is the latest phase of the Hillington and Cardonald Surface Water Management Plan, will create shallow basins and grassed channels to store surface water run-off and slowly release it into the below-ground, drainage network.

- In response to Killsyth being recognised as an area vulnerable to flooding, North Lanarkshire Council commissioned studies to identify potential solutions to reduce the risks of flooding, improve the health and wellbeing of the community, and identify opportunities to improve the environmental condition of local watercourses. The Kilsyth Flood Protection Study, Non-Technical Summary Report was subsequently published in January 2022, and provides details of the options considered, and the preferred option to reduce flood risk by diverting flow during flood events from the Colzium Burn and Garrell Burn to the local Canal Feeder that feeds Townhead Reservoir and is used to supply the Forth and Clyde Canal.

- Salmon have returned to the Garrell Burn in Kilsyth for the first time in 100 years, as a result of a river restoration project funded by North Lanarkshire Council and SEPA's Water Environment Fund. The work at Dumbreck Local Nature Reserve, south-west of Kilsyth, was completed early 2022 and has delivered the re-naturalisation of 600m of the Garrell Burn with two new fish passes created, improvements to the wetland habitat, new paths created, two bridges replaced and a new one installed, and two boardwalks upgraded.

- Smart rainwater systems installed at two new-build Glasgow City Council nursery schools have been linked to a smart water management hub which uses predictive weather technology to reduce the likelihood of localised flood risk ahead of a storm event. In the same way as Glasgow's award-winning Smart Canal operates, when the control hub forecasts heavy rainfall in the area, a signal will be sent to the nursery school triggering tanks to pump out any previously collected rainwater to and maximise the capacity of underground rainwater storage ahead of a storm.

- The £3.5M Malls Mire and North Toryglen Greenspace Project, delivered by Clyde Gateway earlier this year, has been recognised as an exemplar of how green infrastructure can be improved for the benefit of the local community and wildlife using the Building with Nature approach. The project has transformed 16ha of poor quality and previously neglected land into a mixed-use park, incorporating wetland habitats, play parks and gym equipment, a network of footpaths and cycle routes, a woodland educational facility, and many other significant wildlife and landscape enhancements.

- The latest and final work package of the South Dalmarnock Masterplan is the £3m delivery of green infrastructure and sustainable drainage on an existing vacant/derelict site to support development within South Dalmarnock, completing key drainage, roads, and services connections to service adjacent development plots to stimulate local business development and encourage investment; and to apply sustainability measures and minimise carbon emissions.

- The North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System, Glasgow's Smart Canal, has picked up another industry award. In June, the project won the Surface Water Management category at the Environment Agency Flood & Coast Excellence Awards 2022.

- Glasgow City Council has teamed up with Marine Scotland, SEPA and Peel Ports to deliver a one year pilot project tackling marine pollution. A boom made of steel mesh panels suspended on floats will be installed across part of the River Clyde to catch debris as it flows towards the sea.

- In March, SEPA published a summary of the responses received for the Flood Risk Management Plans consultation that closed on 21 December 2021. The document provides a summary of the consultation process, types of responder, responses per Local Plan District, Local Authority and Target Area, and an analysis of responses to each consultation question. It also provides a summary of the changes made to the plans following the consultation.

- In March, SEPA published updated (V2) guidance on climate change allowances for flood risk assessment in land use planning. The guidance allows planning authorities in Scotland to underpin their land use planning decisions with the best evidence available, and it will continue to be updated as the evidence on climate science evolves.

- In May, a new daily 3-day Scottish Flood Forecast (SFF) was launched on the SEPA website by the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service. The SFF has been created after user research identified a need for the public to receive flood information earlier than current regional flood alerts and local flood warnings in a simple and clear way and have the ability to check if no significant flooding is expected.

- Two major projects to further reduce flood risk and improve the local environment in Drumchapel and Bearsden have recently been completed. These projects are being delivered as part of a phased, collaborative approach between Scottish Water, Glasgow City Council and East Dunbartonshire Council, linking with the Colquhoun Park Flood Alleviation Scheme that was delivered in 2014 and Scottish Water investment at Summerhill Road that was delivered in early 2016. Consideration of further interventions in the Drumchapel area is ongoing, as identified in the recently published Clyde and Loch Lomond Flood Risk Management Plan.

- On 17 January, SEPA published the latest flood risk management plans (previously called flood risk management strategies) for Scotland. The flood risk management plans are Scotland's route map for reducing the effects of flooding on our communities. The plans are also an important response to the climate emergency.

- On 22 December, SEPA launched the River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) for Scotland 2021-2027, and the and the RBMP for the Solway Tweed River Basin District 2021 update. The RBMPs are published every six years and set out a range of actions to address challenges associated with water quality, physical condition, water flows and levels, the migration of wild fish and invasive non-native species

- To complement the publication of the RBMPs on 22 December, and ensure that rivers, beaches and urban waters are free from debris and reduce spills from sewers, Scottish Water published its Improving Urban Waters Routemap and announced plans to invest half a billion pounds in Scotland's waste water network. This combined programme of work will ensure that Scotland's rivers, lochs, estuaries, coastal areas and groundwater can continue to supply drinking water, support fisheries, offer an essential resource for business and agriculture, and serve as a source of recreation that promotes health and wellbeing.

- Work is progressing well to extend the award-winning Cuningar Loop Woodland Park on the banks of the River Clyde. Cuningar Loop Woodland Park Phase 1, which was delivered by Forestry and Land Scotland, currently spans 37 acres and links communities in Dalmarnock in Glasgow's East End and Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire. Upon completion of phase 2 in July 2022, the Park will span 58 acres. The extension of the woodland park will see the inclusion of 1,722 linear metres of footpaths, a teaching amphitheatre created with tree trunks, 167 specimen trees and 11,000 square metres of wildflower meadow and grassland. Two new facilities for the park - The Bothy and The Tur - are also nearing completion.

- The North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System, Glasgow's Smart Canal, has now been recognised at a number of industry awards...

- In November, phase 2 of the Hillington / Cardonald surface water management plan project - Queensland Gardens - won the Building with Nature National Award 2021 at the Landscape Institute awards. The project, being led by Southside Housing Association in partnership with Glasgow City Council, will see landscape green infrastructure retrofit around two 19 storey flats comprising improved emergency access, more balanced provision of parking, introduction of toddler play, adventurous play, community gardens and potential for food growing, cycle parking storage, and raingardens and swales to manage surface water and help reduce pressure on the combined sewer network.

- Scotland's fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) will be a long term plan looking to 2045 that will guide spatial development, set out national planning policies, designate national developments and highlight regional spatial priorities. It will be part of the development plan, and so influence planning decisions across Scotland. Draft NPF4 was laid in Parliament on 10 November 2021 for a period of up to 120 days. Alongside Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft, the Scottish Government is running a consultation, which is open until 31 March 2022.

- On 28 October 2021, the Scottish Flood Forum hosted FloodRe and the Ox-Cam Pathfinder project 'FloodMobile' unit at a community engagement event at Milngavie Shopping Centre, facilitated by East Dunbartonshire Council, as part of a wider tour around the UK in the run up to COP26. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of flood risk, and what people can do to protect themselves and their property from flooding, with a focus on property flood resilience (PFR) measures - the FloodMobile showcases around 50 PFR measures which are installed into the mobile facility.

- In May, the North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System Project, Glasgow's Smart Canal, won the Sustainable Drainage & Flood Management Initiative of the Year category at the Water Industry Awards.

- At Sandyhills Park, the work to deculvert, or 'daylight', the Tollcross Burn, which has run under the park in a culvert since the 1950s, is now complete. A length of circa 250m of open watercourse has been created along the original route of the burn. This provides morphology and bio-diversity benefits, as well as providing more space for the water in the form of flood attenuation / storage by re-creating floodplain to give space for the water, which will help to stimulate regeneration in the area.

- On 30 July, SEPA launched the second phase of the joint consultation with local authorities, calling on the public and businesses to share their views on shaping flood risk actions and objectives in high-risk areas across Scotland. The consultation runs until 31 October, and all responses received by this date will help inform the final flood risk management plans (previously called flood risk management strategies) and local flood risk management plans.

- As part of the ongoing programme of surface water management plans being delivered across Glasgow to reduce flood risk and deliver water resilient places using blue-green infrastructure, the proposals for retrofit surface water management interventions at St. Martha's Primary School in Springburn have received planning approval.

- As part of the local Greenspace Group and Transformational Regeneration Area group, Clyde Gateway is working together with several partners including Urban Roots, Glasgow City Council and the local community to transform 16 hectares of underused land at Toryglen into a park, path network and woodland retreat to be known as 'Malls Mire' which will be a haven for activities, learning and wellbeing.

- In response to the need to improve how we manage surface water in Scotland and increase our use of blue-green infrastructure for drainage and flood management, in the face of the climate emergency, the Scottish Government published Water-resilient places - a policy framework for surface water management and blue-green infrastructure, in February this year.

- As SEPA continues to recover from a cyber-attack in late December 2020, it has taken the opportunity to develop a new way of working that has a much greater focus on frequent virtual collaboration, that will quickly help confine detailed, bespoke advice to where it most adds value, and shift the focus from transactional to collaborative ways of working going forward.

- SEPA is introducing new flood hazard mapping which will provide a clearer indication of surface water (also known as pluvial) flood risk now and in future. This will enable people, communities and businesses to better understand the risks and act to reduce the impact of surface water flooding.

- Formally launched on 29 June, Climate Ready Clyde has developed Glasgow City Region's first Climate Adaptation Strategy. The strategy seeks to ensure Glasgow City Region's economy, society and environment is not only prepared for, but continues to flourish in the face of the impacts arising from the climate crisis.

- Formally launched on 29 June, Climate Ready Clyde has developed Glasgow City Region's first Climate Adaptation Strategy. The strategy seeks to ensure Glasgow City Region's economy, society and environment is not only prepared for, but continues to flourish in the face of the impacts arising from the climate crisis.

- The latest phase of a project to deliver further retrofit sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) to enhance the public realm at South Dalmarnock, in accordance with the masterplan proposals, has recently been completed. The works at French Street / Clyde Gateway have been delivered by the Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company as part of a programme to deliver sustainable, blue-green surface water management interventions in the area.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the South East Glasgow Surface Water Management Plan has delivered works in Croftfoot and Kings Park, that include installation of improved drainage infrastructure, construction of raingarden features and improvements to public spaces.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, Scottish Water and the Water Environment Fund, the Garrowhill / Baillieston SWMP comprises work at both Early Braes Park and Sandyhills Park. Works have been impacted by delays associated with Covid-19, but are progressing well, and forecast to be completed in early 2021.

- On 14 September, Scottish Water published its Net Zero Emissions Routemap. The routemap, published at the start of Climate Week and created with the support of an expert panel, sets out how Scottish Water will deliver on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2040, five years ahead of the national target.

- On 2nd October, the MGSDP held an online webinar event to cover a range of areas, including existing and future flood risk challenges facing the region, who is responsible for flood risk, the need to increase the pace of delivery and scale of investment, and the need for an infrastructure first approach for sustainable, blue-green, interventions to deliver water resilient places.

- Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has worked with the Scottish Government to commission research, exploring what local authorities and housing associations across Scotland are doing to tackle urban flooding problems by working with nature. Evidence will be gathered, to better understand views on the best ways to manage surface water flooding in communities.

- Climate Ready Clyde is developing Glasgow City Region's first Climate Adaptation Strategy. The strategy will seek to ensure Glasgow City Region's economy, society and environment is not only prepared for, but continues to flourish in the face of the impacts arising from the climate crisis.

- In 2019, Glasgow City Council set up a Climate Emergency Working Group, subsequently declaring Climate Emergency in the city. The working group produced an independent expert report which made 61 recommendations, with a target for the city to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2030 at its heart. The Climate Emergency Implementation Plan provides a response to the recommendations and sets a course for further action.

- In November, SEPA updated the national flood maps to include future flood risk for river and coastal flooding. The maps give homes and businesses the chance to prepare for the risk of flooding by viewing the risk in their area.

- In December, pupils from Aultmore Park Primary School headed out to Blairtummock Park to mark the completion of the £7.4 million Cardowan Surface Water Managerment Plan (SWMP) which, as part of the Greater Easterhouse Green Infrastructure Project, has created new greenspaces and enhanced those existing, by introducing surface water management features that will reduce the risks and impacts of flooding for the local area, and also downstream through the east end of Glasgow, whilst creating drainage capacity for housing led regeneration.

- Construction of North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System - Glasgow's Smart Canal - which uses the 250-year-old Forth & Clyde Canal and smart technology to reduce flood risk and the impacts of climate change, and unlock 110 hectares across the north of the city for investment, regeneration and development, is now complete.

- In October the flood defences for the circa £9 million third and final phase of the White Cart Water Flood Prevention Scheme, which started in February 2018, were completed.

- Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company is tasked with remediating 350 hectares of derelict/contaminated land across the east end of Glasgow and parts of South Lanarkshire. As at March 2019, 248 hectares had been remediated with the remaining large areas of vacant and derelict land being located at Cuningar Loop Woodland Park Phase 2 (12.8 hectares) and Toryglen Park (22 hectares). Clyde Gateway has been working with partners and design teams to develop designs and secure funding for both of these projects.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, Scottish Water and the Water Environment Fund the Garrowhill SWMP will deliver interventions at two parks in the east end of Glasgow.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the South East Glasgow SWMP is comprised of a number of elements of work taking place in Croftfoot, Kings Park, Overwood Drive and Aikenhead Road, that include installation of improved drainage infrastructure, construction of rain garden features and improvements to public spaces.

- In October, Scottish Water began work on a £4.8Million programme of work to reduce flood risk and improve the local environment in Conon Avenue, Bearsden and Moraine Avenue, Drumchapel. The project is being delivered as part of a phased, collaborative approach between Scottish Water, Glasgow City Council and East Dunbartonshire Council, linking with the Colquhoun Park Flood Alleviation Scheme that was delivered in 2014.

- Investment at 11 different locations to transfer transform the sewer network and improve the environment at the River Kelvin started in February 2019 and will continue through to summer 2020. The project, being delivered by Scottish Water, includes the installation of mechanical screens on combined sewer overflows, to prevent objects greater than 6mm overflowing into the Kelvin during storm events.

- Throughout 2019, North Lanarkshire Council, Central Scotland Green Network Trust and the 10,000 Raingardens for Scotland project have been working on an innovative school raingarden project. The aim is to install a range of raingarden features within schools that suffer from flooding resulting in their playground being unusable at certain times of the year.

- Running from 19th December 2019 through to 19th June 2020, this consultation, being led by SEPA, recognises that the climate is changing and we are facing a climate emergency. Protecting and restoring our water environment to build resilience from the effects of the changing climate is essential to allow Scotland to prosper.

- In November, the Scottish Government launched Living With Flooding - An action plan for delivering property flood resilience in Scotland. The Action Plan recognises that in Scotland the responsibility for protecting property from flooding rests with the owner. While thousands of properties at risk of flooding will benefit from formal flood schemes, thousands more will not and even those covered by a scheme will still have a remaining risk from overtopping or other sources of flooding.

- Construction of the first phase of the Hillington Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) commenced on site at Halfway Community Park, Moss Heights in March. This £2.2 million project will enhance the natural environment by transforming existing open space into a rich, ecologically diverse landscape. The project will also deliver a range of retrofit surface water management features such as swales, raingardens, basins and attenuation storage to reduce the risks and impacts of flooding both for the local area and downstream.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal and a Scottish Government Flooding Capital Grant contribution, the Camlachie Burn Improvements Project is a £4.5million project that will refurbish two sections of the burn in the east end of Glasgow. This will have the effect of removing two partial restrictions to flow in the watercourse which will improve the potential to convey flows from the east end, resulting in a reduction in flood risk and will help to facilitate regeneration in the area.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Green Infrastructure Fund (led by Scottish Natural Heritage on behalf of the Scottish Government) as part of the wider Greater Easterhouse project, Vacant & Derelict Land Fund and National Lottery funding, this project will create and enhance existing greenspace through the implementation of surface water management ponds, channels and day-lighting of culverted burns, in three specific areas of Glasgow - Blairtummock, Cranhill and Ruchazie.

- In April, a state-of-the-art tunnel boring machine (TBM) called Tunnelling Tanya 'broke through' in Paisley's Saucelhill Park after completing the final section in the middle of a one-mile-long sewer, or waste water tunnel, under the streets of Paisley. The new infrastructure, which is the biggest investment of its kind Scottish Water has ever made in Renfrewshire, will substantially reduce the frequency of spills from the sewer network into the Espedair Burn and White Cart Water in storm conditions.

- The North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System project - Glasgow's Smart Canal - which will use the 250-year-old Forth & Clyde Canal and smart technology to reduce flood risk and the impacts of climate change, and unlock 110 hectares across the north of the city for investment, regeneration and development, is nearing completion.

- In February, a multi-million pound investment project in Glasgow's West End to help improve the environment and water quality in the River Kelvin started. The project is being delivered by Scottish Water's alliance partner Amey Black and Veatch (aBV) and involves the installation of new and improved waste water infrastructure, including underground combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) chambers and upgraded pipework.

- Enabled by funding from the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund, Clyde Gateway has completed work on the first three phases of the South Dalmarnock Integrated Urban Infrastructure Framework (SDIUIF) along Colvend Street, in the East End of Glasgow.

- East Dunbartonshire Council is developing proposals to create a "climate ready park" in Bishopbriggs. Possible improvements to Etive Park and Woodhill Park include surface water management, to reduce the risk of local flooding, habitat improvements for wildlife, play park upgrades and allotment space for food growing.

- A groundbreaking new project, launched in May, aims to turn Glasgow City Region 'green' with 500 miles of walking and cycling routes and plans for hundreds of new living spaces for wildlife, providing a tangible response to biodiversity loss and climate change.

- In April, Climate Ready Clyde released its full assessment of the potential impacts of climate change for Glasgow City Region. The Climate Risk and Opportunity Assessment for Glasgow City Region was undertaken for Climate Ready Clyde's members to support Glasgow City Region's Climate Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan and their own planning. The assessment will also support wider organisations and the public to build their own resilience to future climate change.

- Climate Ready Clyde and Adaptation Scotland have collaborated to produce a toolkit for assessing and addressing risks in the development of built environment and infrastructure projects. Funded by Scottish Government, and launched in partnership with Adaptation Scotland as part of their broader Adaptation Capability Framework, the toolkit removes a significant number of practical barriers for organisations in Glasgow City Region and beyond to adopt systematic screening processes.

- New guidance on climate change allowances for flood risk assessment in land use planning to help businesses and communities be climate ready, was published by SEPA in April. The guidance sets out recommended allowances for climate change that can be applied to Flood Risk Assessments submitted in support of planning applications and Strategic Flood Risk Assessments to inform the spatial strategy of development plans.

- MGSDP partners were pleased to present a number of projects at the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) Urban Drainage Group (UDG) Summer Conference, held in Cumbernauld on 27th June, which is aimed at sharing knowledge and learning across the urban drainage industry.

- At the Nature of Scotland Awards 2018, the Easterhouse Fossorial Water Vole Relocations project was highly commended in the Sustainable Development Award category.

- Sewers for Scotland (SfS) provides guidance on Scottish Water's requirements in terms of specification for the design, construction and vesting of new sewerage infrastructure assets - including foul and statutory surface water. The latest update to SfS, Version 4, was made available on 31st October, and for the first time includes assets such as swales and filter trenches that will be considered for vesting.

- The Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning are one of the Government's most prestigious awards. They celebrate achievements in planning, from the detail of processing to the bigger picture of creating places which will become the legacy of our professionalism. For the 2018 Awards, the multi-agency partnership team that comprised the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership project won the Overall Award.

- Scottish Water's Shieldhall Tunnel in Glasgow, which is helping to improve water quality in the River Clyde and tackle sewer flooding, has won two significant awards in as many months.

- To help explain how Glasgow's Smart Canal project will use smart technology to reduce flood risk and the impacts of climate change, a video and animation have been released giving more detail about the project and how it will unlock 110 hectares across the north of the city for investment, regeneration and development.

- On 7th November, Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, was joined by pupils from Garnetbank Primary to help plant the first trees on Sauchiehall Avenue. The £7.2million Sauchiehall Avenue project - between Charing Cross and Rose Street - has been underway since January 2018. As part of the project, 27 trees will be planted along the Avenue to provide a range of benefits, including retrofit surface water management.

- On 31 October, Climate Ready Clyde published the key findings from its Climate Risk and Opportunity Assessment for Glasgow City Region. This report sets out the key findings and recommendations from the climate risk and opportunity assessment and is designed to highlight priority areas for action in development of Glasgow City Region's planned Adaptation Strategy and Action plan.

- Scotland's biggest sewer superstructure has become operational in a feat of engineering hailed as "extraordinary" by Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham. The tunnel is the flagship project in Scottish Water's investment in the Glasgow area's waste water infrastructure, the biggest since Victorian times, and stretches for 3.1 miles from Craigton to Queen's Park via Bellahouston Park and Pollok Park.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the Green Infrastructure Fund (led by Scottish Natural Heritage on behalf of the Scottish Government) as part of the wider Greater Easterhouse project and the Vacant & Derelict Land Fund, this £7.4 million project will create and enhance existing greenspace through the implementation of surface water management ponds, channels and day-lighting of culverted burns, in three areas of Glasgow - Blairtummock, Cranhill and Ruchazie.

- In April 2018 the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership (GCVGN) published its report into the quality of Green Infrastructure (GI) policies across the Central Scotland Green Network region.

- Construction of Europe's first ever 'smart canal' scheme, which will use the 250-year-old Forth & Clyde Canal and 21st century technology to mitigate flood risk as well as enable massive regeneration, has started in Glasgow.

- Launched on 14th March, the Natural Flood Management Network Scotland is a Scottish Government funded initiative, developed by the James Hutton Institute and supported by SEPA, aimed at encouraging the sharing of knowledge and best practice around NFM.

- Scottish Water has recently started a major project on its waste water infrastructure in the West End of Glasgow to improve the environment and water quality in the River Kelvin.

- An exciting new river restoration project designed to restore the Glazert Water to a more natural condition and minimise the likelihood of flooding in the River Kelvin Catchment downstream is one step closer.

- Work is progressing on the £17m project which involves the construction of a one mile-long interceptor sewer under the streets of Paisley, and the installation of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in the town centre.

- Work on a further £3.2m project to improve Scottish Water's waste water infrastructure in the southside of Glasgow began in June 2018, and is expected to last five months.

- Potentially Vulnerable Areas (PVAs) are where significant flood risk exists now or is likely to occur in the future. They are part of the National Flood Risk Assessment (NFRA), which is updated and published every six years and considers flooding from rivers, the sea and from surface water.

- Last noted in the Winter 2017-18 Newsletter, Phase 3 of the White Cart Water Flood Prevention Scheme commenced works on site in February 2018 and is expected to be completed mid 2019.

- Organised by Red Bull and Scottish Canals, the toughest open-water swimming race in the UK took place in Glasgow's Forth & Clyde Canal on March 10th March.

- On 25th August 2018, the Youth Urban Games took place in North Glasgow. International Parkour, BMX and Skateboard athletes showcased their skills, and local young people got the chance to have a go - all celebrating the area's reputation as an 'urban playground'

- The MGSDP offers congratulations to two Welsh projects that have recently been recognised by picking up awards at the recent Water Industry Awards 2018. These projects demonstrate many of the MGSDP Objectives and Guiding Principles through their delivery of retrofit green infrastructure in residential streets, existing public greenspace and schools to reduce flood risk and improve water quality.

- First published in December 2011, the National Flood Risk Assessment (NFRA) has provided Scotland with the knowledge and tools to assess the causes and consequences of flooding. The assessment has considered the likelihood of flooding from rivers, groundwater and the sea, as well as flooding caused when heavy rainfall is unable to enter drainage systems or the river network. Reviewing the NFRA every 6 years is essential as the understanding of flood risk is constantly developing and it is important that this knowledge is captured. A national public consultation of the outputs of the second NFRA and PVAs will take place during late spring 2018, and the second NFRA and PVAs will be formally published on 22 December 2018.

- In September 2017, Scottish Water completed a major environmental improvement project which will reduce sewer flood risk to 32 properties in the Milton area of Glasgow.

- In August 2017, SEPA published new and updated guidance relating to flood risk and land use planning. Although primarily intended for internal SEPA purposes, the guidance is published online so that anyone can access and understand the framework used to guide planning consultation responses. The guidance is based on Scottish Planning Policy and duties under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

- Whilst flooding can happen at any time during the year, particularly as climate change is predicted to bring more frequent and intense summer rainfall events, SEPA/s Winter Flooding Campaign, which will run from December 2017 through to March 2018, is aimed at providing the public with advance notice of potential flooding. Through a new suite of winter marketing materials and a strategic approach to communicating, this campaign is able to more accurately target communications activity to those at risk of flooding, and provide up to 3 days notice of potential flooding, giving people more time to prepare and take action.

- Enabled by funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal - www.glasgowcityregion.co.uk - and Scottish Government Flooding Capital Grant contribution, the Camlachie Burn Improvements Project is a £4.5million project that will refurbish two sections of the burn in the east end of Glasgow. This will have the effect of removing two partial restrictions to flow in the watercourse which will improve the potential to convey flows from the east end, resulting in a reduction in flood risk and will help to facilitate regeneration in the area.

- On 30th November, Glasgow City Council formally gave approval to entering into a partnership agreement with Scottish Canals and Scottish Water to facilitate the integrated project delivery of the North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System (NGIWMS). This is an innovative system that will use the Forth and Clyde Canal and new technology to tackle the capacity - and therefore potential flooding - issues that on occasion face the sewer network in the north of the city.

- Following construction of the South Dalmarnock Regional SuDS pond itself in 2014, the final section of connecting pipework to direct surface water flows from the wider Dalmarnock catchment, was completed in autumn 2017. Delivered by Clyde Gateway, the South Dalmarnock SuDS Pond represents a phased approach by the MGSDP partners to deliver strategic, sustainable drainage to facilitate regeneration in the east end of Glasgow by providing surface water management infrastructure ahead of development.

- The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Scotland's annual awards, run in partnership with the Saltire Society, celebrate outstanding engineering achievements in Scotland. The 2017 Community Award was awarded to the Cuningar Loop Woodland Park and Footbridge.

- Launched in September 2017 by Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network, A Green Network Strategy for the Glasgow City Region has been developed to drive forward ambitious plans to create a Glasgow City Region wide 'Green Network' by 2050.

- In 2017, Glasgow City Council secured funding to enable the completion of the third and final phase of the White Cart Water Flood Prevention Scheme. This phase involves the construction of 9 sections of flood defence - a combination of flood defence walls and embankments which will provide direct flood defence along sections of both the White Cart Water and Auldhouse Burn, to reduce flood risk to residents and businesses in the south side of Glasgow.

- The 3rd European Climate Change Adaptation (ECCA) Conference 2017 - www.ecca2017.eu - was held in Glasgow between 5th to 9th June, and the MGSDP was well represented.

- On 24th July, Scottish Ministers approved, with modifications, the second Strategic Development Plan for the Glasgow City Region.

- Formally launched at the ECCA 2017 Conference, Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector partnership initiative to adapt to a changing climate, making Glasgow City Region a better place to live, work and do business. 10 partners are pooling their resources, alongside the Scottish Government, to assess the risks and opportunities from rising temperatures and seas and heavier rainfall, and develop a strategy and action plan.

- Due to a history of flood events at Heather Avenue, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire Council undertook flood alleviation and improvement works within the Heather Avenue Park area. Having determined the existing drainage regime in the area and undertaken analysis and review of a range of options, works were progressed to minimise flood risk to the local community.

- Funded as one of the first Glasgow City Region City Deal infrastructure projects, the £18.6m Cathkin Relief Road opened on Friday 24th February 2017. Delivered by Land Engineering on behalf of South Lanarkshire Council, the single-carriageway road runs for a mile between Mill Street and Burnside Road. In addition to the new 7.3m wide carriageway there is a 2m wide footway on the south side and a 3m wide combined cycleway/footway on the north side.

- Delivered as part of ongoing, phased, regeneration works in the South Dalmarnock area, Clyde Gateway has delivered the latest element of improvement works as part of a wider key routes and spaces project. The scheme, which was funded by Clyde Gateway and delivered by Glasgow City Council, sees the delivery of enhancements to the existing road, footway and lighting infrastructure together with environmental improvements including a new sustainable urban drainage scheme in the form of highway raingardens.

- One of the toughest swimming races in the UK took place in Glasgow's Forth & Clyde Canal on March 18th, with almost 400 elite athletes taking on the challenge of the world's only uphill swimming course. Red Bull Neptune Steps challenged swimmers to take on a 420m sprint-swim up Maryhill Locks, climbing the eight locks that dominate the famous stretch of the canal and tackling various obstacles on their way to the finish line.

- Construction of Scottish Water's flagship Shieldhall Tunnel project, in the south of Glasgow, the biggest waste water tunnel ever to be built in Scotland, reached Queen's Park at the end of August. The £100m tunnel, which will enable Scottish Water to improve water quality in the River Clyde and its tributaries and tackle flooding in various parts of the south of Glasgow area, will, at 3.1 miles long, be five times longer than the Clyde Tunnel.

- Scottish Water has completed a project in the Drumchapel area of Glasgow which will tackle flooding that has affected six properties. The £1.8m investment in waste water infrastructure, which started in December 2016, will help reduce the risk of sewer flooding which has affected properties in the Moraine Avenue area.

- Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is awarding £3 million to five projects which will improve local greenspace in some of the most deprived areas in Scotland. The SNH funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and once match funding from other sources is added will result in a total investment of £7.3 million. Two of the five projects are in the core MGSDP area.

- An updated website for the MGSDP was launched in May, to provide a more modern, mobile friendly interface for the MGSDP. The MGSDP has also set up a Twitter account - @The_MGSDP - to highlight key partner and industry items of interest.