UCC Campus Flooding Update (2010)

Update (Tuesday, 16 November 2010)

Download the Revised Report on Major Flood Damage 16 Nov 2010 

Update (Wednesday, 05 May 2010)

Download the Revised Report on Major Flood Damage 05 May 2010

Update (Tuesday, 26 January, 10am)

Download the Report on Flood Damage on 26 Jan 2010

Update (Monday, 11 January, 3pm)

UCC will operate as normal tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12th 2010.

Update (Sunday 10 January, 4pm)

UCC would like to advise staff and students that the University campus has been gritted and made safe. Accordingly, University business will be conducted as normal on Monday January 11th.

Update (Thursday 17 December, 4pm)

Download the full Report on Major Flood Damage on 19/20 Nov 09

Update (Friday 4 December, 1pm)

Download the full Revised Report on Major Flood Damage (19/20 Nov 09)

Update (Monday 30 November, 10am)

Download the full Revised Report on Major Flood Damage

As you are aware, a number of our buildings were badly damaged on the night of Thursday November 19th 2009 by the severe flooding.
A clean up and recovery operation commenced on Friday and has been in full swing ever since with over 200 people involved.  
The following is the situation with respect to building availability:

Western Gateway Building:
This building will re-open on the November 30th 2009.  A temporary generator/boiler will be in place. The rebuilding of the basement plant room will continue in the coming months. G.05 (main auditorium) will be out of action until after Christmas.  Activities planned for this room have been rescheduled to other venues across campus http://timetable.ucc.ie

Connolly Building / Granary Theatre / Muskerry Villas / Dyke Parade
These buildings suffered severe damage to the ground floor (open access labs / teaching rooms / postgrad. rooms). The clean-up operation is complete.  The centrally booked teaching rooms will re-open on the November 30th 2009.  Work on the remaining affected areas will continue in the coming weeks.

North Mall (Enterprise Centre / Butler Building)
These buildings suffered severe damage to the ground floor for staff access (laboratories / lecture theatres / research areas / offices etc.).  The clean-up is complete. Significant ongoing refurbishment work is required to the ground floor.  The centrally booked teaching rooms will reopen on the November 30th 2009.  

Western Road Houses: (Bloomfield Terrace / Brighton Villas / Lucan Place / Laurels / Roseleigh / Ferry Lodge)
The ground floor offices suffered serious damage.  The floor coverings have been removed and cleaned.  The ground floors will require further work (carpets, furniture replacement etc.) which will be completed on a phased basis over the coming weeks.

Mardyke Arena/External Sports Grounds
Mardyke Arena suffered severe damage.  A major clean-up operation is underway.  Engineers are assessing the extent of damage to the services plant (pool, boilers etc.).  The main sports hall floor reception, fitness suite, etc, requires significant refurbishment.  The building will remain closed until further notice.  An assessment of the all-weather pitch/track will be completed this week.

Glucksman Gallery
This building was severely damaged at ground and basement level.  The art recovery operation is well advanced. The assessment of damage to the plant room and kitchen etc., is underway and the building will remain closed until further notice.

Maltings Complex / Tyndall
This building is open.

Campus Accommodation
Castlewhite, University Hall and Victoria Lodge will reopen by the 30th November 2009.  The ground floor apartments (120 beds) will require refurbishment and will not be available until after Christmas.  Alternative accommodation for the students concerned is being organised by Campus Accommodation.

Car Parking
Car parking in University Hall will not be available. All other carparks will be open as normal.

Insurance
Information on the replacement of damaged equipment and the process to be followed are available at http://ocla.ucc.ie/General/flood.asp

Update (Friday 27 November, 10am)

Flood Damage: Frequently Asked Questions

Was the flood expected?
No, the flood last Thursday (19/11/09) was an unprecedented event that significantly exceeded any previous recorded flood in the UCC campus since the construction of the Inniscarra Dam in the 1950’s.  Following a major flood in the city in 1986, a study projected flood levels along the course of the River Channels for a 1:250 year event. All UCC’s recently constructed buildings were placed above the flood level at the relevant locations.

The old Greyhound Track and Lower Grounds are prone to flooding, according to the available data – why build there in the first place?
The Greyhound Track regularly flooded prior to UCC’s development of the site. The building was constructed at a level two metres higher than the original ground level.  In relation to the Glucksman, the building was constructed over a metre higher than the lower ground and 200-300mm higher than protective berm on the bank of the river.  The buildings were designed and constructed above  projected flood levels. The floods experienced last Thursday were extraordinary and affected all recently constructed building in the west of the city including County Hall, Kingsley Hotel, etc., and other areas never previously flooded.  As an example, the ground level of the Glucksman was set at 3.31m AOD approximately 300mm above the projected flood level given in the above study.  The levels of the flood water were approximately one metre above the finished floor level.

What process was involved in the decision to go ahead at these two sites?
All capital projects go through a rigorous design and planning process. External experienced design engineers are part of an overall design team who prepare designs, undertake environmental analysis and submit projects for approval to the local authority. The planning authority scrutinise all project details based on their overall knowledge of the surrounding environs prior to granting planning permission.

Was expert opinion sought specifically on the potential danger of flooding at the sites?
The project designs include experienced consultant engineers with significant experience of construction projects in the city and its environs. Environmental report\statements are prepared as part of the design process which challenge the suitability of site selection.

Given the historic danger of flooding and numerous previous examples, was consideration given to putting the Western Gateway on stilts?
The building was constructed well above any previous recorded flood level on the site.  The overall design solution for any project must take into account building access, visual impact, security etc.,  and the best available data in finalising a design solution.

What was the rationale behind allowing basement areas to be used for art storage/expensive equipment in Glucksman and Western Gateway Building?
It is common practice to use basement areas for plant and storage areas.  These areas are tanked to a high specification for protection against the ingress of ground water.  As stated above, the floor levels are set above historical flood levels for the site.

Will policy on basement usage now be reviewed and will new contingency plans be prepared?
The recent flood event changes everything. It is difficult at this stage to draw conclusions with regard to the cause of the flood. The Office of Public Works are finalising a new a River Lee CFRAMS (Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study) which will establish the likely impacts of global warming, changes in land use etc, and will recommend long term strategies for the management of flood risk in Cork City. This report and an analysis of the event in the last week will inform future UCC strategy.

Did UCC’s insurers cover the flooding risk?
Yes.
  Good News from UCC Castlewhite Apartments

Management & Staff are delighted to announce that non ground floor residents can check-in to their apartments from 2.30pm-5.30pm today Thursday 26th November 2009.
On Friday 27th November, Saturday 28th November and Sunday 29th November 2009 check-in is available again from 2.30pm -5.30pm each day.
Staff will only be available strictly between these hours. For Health & Safety reasons all residents are requested to check-in with reception (currently a portacabin) prior to moving back into their apartment.
A bus will pick up residents and their belongings at both Eden Hall and Deanshall this afternoon between 3pm and 5pm. Residents will be notified by phone as to exact times. Residents are asked to inform Edenhall/Deanshall of their departure and confirm that their belongings have been removed.
Ground floor residents will continue to be housed at both Deanshall and Edenhall with a shuttle bus providing access to campus each day.
Please note that all perishable foodstuffs have been removed from all fridge freezers due to the health risks posed.
the launderette is not operational at the moment.
any queries may be directed to the Manager/Assistant Manager at  087 9132066
For further updates please check http://www.ucccampusaccommodation.com 

Update (Thursday 26 November, 1pm) Good News from UCC Victoria Lodge Apartments

Management & Staff are delighted to announce that non ground floor residents can check-in to their apartments from 2.30pm-5.30pm today Thursday 26th November 2009.
On Friday 27th November, Saturday 28th November and Sunday 29th November 2009 check-in is available again from 2.30pm-5.30pm each day.
Staff will only be available strictly between these hours. For Health & Safety reasons all residents are requested to check-in with reception prior to moving back into their apartment. A bus will pick up residents and their belongings at both Eden Hall and Deanshall this afternoon between 3pm and 5pm. Residents will be notified by phone as to exact times. Ground floor residents will continue to be housed at both Deanshall and Edenhall with a shuttle bus providing access to campus each day.
Please note that all perishable foodstuffs have been removed from all fridge freezers due to the health risks posed. The Common Room and launderette are not operational at the moment. Any queries may be directed to the Manager/Assistant Manager at  087 9132032 (Signed) Verdi Ahern, Academic Year Services Manager

Update (Tuesday 24 November, 1pm): Download the full Report on Major Flood Damage by clicking the link (Over 500 staff were impacted by the flood and c.2000 students were forced to evacuate their student residences).

Update (Sunday 22 November, 1.00pm): UCC staff and contractors under the direction of the Office of Buildings & Estates, have continued to work throughout the weekend to recover buildings and equipment. Details of the situation for the buildings affected are in the general announcement.

 Lectures at UCC have been postponed from Monday next (November 23rd 2009) due to flood damage in a number of key buildings.  Classes will resume as normal on Monday (November 30th 2009).

• Western Gateway Building
• Enterprise Centre
• Butler Building
• Glucksman Gallery
• Bloomfield Terrace
• Brighton Villas
• Lucan Place
• Laurels
• Roseleigh
• Glenlee
• ERI
• Tyndall National Institute
• Connelly Building
• Mardyke Arena

If you require further information or have an update on the flooding please contact General Services on 490 2265/2264.

Due to severe flood damage and serious disruption to all access routes for staff and students all lectures and other teaching were cancelled on Friday 20^th November 2009. In addition, all staff working in the following buildings were advised not to come to work that dayunless specifically requested to do so by their line manager:

Update (Friday 20 November, 5.30pm):

Update (Thursday 26 November, 1pm)

Update (Friday 27 November, 10am)