Hard engineering management involves using artificial structures, such as dams and embankments. Soft engineering management is a more natural approach to manage flooding, such as floodplain zoning.
In August 2004, the village of Boscastle saw a month's worth of rain fall in two hours. The drainage basin of Boscastle is steep and impermeable rock. Boscastle is also located on a confluence of three rivers. These factors led to a flash flood which caused over one thousand homes, cars and businesses to be swept away and damaged.
To prevent this type of flood happening again, the environmental agency invested £10 million into several flood defences, such as: