That’s A Wrap: 2025 River Surveys & Festive Resilience

December is always a month that demands careful planning to keep projects on track, despite the festive season Storm Geomatics rose to the challenge delivering critical river channel data in Yorkshire and Hampshire, over coming extreme weather conditions, and even saving their own Christmas party from being abandoned due to a flooded venue!

Farlington Beck Survey – Yorkshire
Led by Morgan Haylor, a survey team tackled Farlington Beck, a picturesque watercourse winding through the Yorkshire countryside. The beck’s clear flow and surrounding wildlife made for a stunning backdrop, with deer and rabbits spotted in nearby fields and a 12th-century church casting its shadow over the site.
However, conditions were far from calm. When the Storm surveyors arrived on site, locals described it as ‘the worst week in the last 10 years’ as the beck overflowed onto roads, making manual cross-section surveys impossible at first. Thankfully, water levels dropped during the team’s time on site, revealing hidden structures and pipes that were initially submerged. Despite the challenges, the survey was completed efficiently thanks to excellent landowner cooperation from pre-site organisation and the welcoming nature of the village.
Channel Survey – Emsworth, Hampshire
Meanwhile, James Mayers led a team in Emsworth, conducting a channel survey to support flood modelling and connectivity analysis. With parts of the River Ems running through residents’ gardens, the team worked closely with landowners to arrange access. Their proactive relationship with the Environment Agency and commitment to maintaining healthy waterways made collaboration smooth and productive.

Oh the Irony..A Flooded Christmas Party – Saved by The Embankment
The Storm Geomatics Christmas party is always a highlight of the year, but this time it almost didn’t happen! Storm’s chosen venue on the banks of the River Avon in Stratford-on-Avon (we love rivers so wanted to celebrate close by) was flooded on the morning of the event. Thankfully, another of Stratford’s premier venues, The Embankment, stepped in at the last minute, hosting with a warm welcome, a delicious meal, and plenty of dancing to keep the festive spirit alive. The DJ even played our celebratory song to celebrate the conclusion of Storm’s largest project to date the River Nene a grand total of 1,769 cross sections including 329 structures, running over a 14 month period and very ably led by Senior Surveyor Tom Atkinson.

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