The primary role of NFM is to attenuate flood peaks within catchments for flood risk management purposes. However, most NFM measures provide added benefits for the wider environment and this topic collates material surrounding these multiple benefits. This could include, for example, information on measures that have improved water quality, biodiversity, carbon targets cultural activity, farm productivity, low flows, air quality and aesthetic quality, health and well-being.
The Rottal Burn in the South Esk Catchment was re-meandered in 2012. During the project 1100m of new channel plus backwaters was created, connection to wetlands was established, and 2000 native trees were planted.
An open access book is now available online which provides lots of best practice examples of sustainable river management. "Riverine Ecosystem Management: Science for Governing Towards a Sustainable Future" aims to be of interest to a range of readers from scientists to practitioners. For more information on the book please refer to the link below.
A podcast released by America Adapts and sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund entitled, Flooding and Nature Based Solutions - the good, the bad and the ugly of flooding features interviews with experts discussing Nature based solutions to flood management.
The Building with Nature (BwN) project (funded by EU Interreg) has produced a short video to explain the project. The Scottish Government, SEPA and Tweed Forum are partners on the project and are focused on the 'catchments' workpackage (the Eddleston catchment is a case study site in the project).
The Environment Agency, CIRIA and other partners are hoping to develop technical guidance on specific Natural Flood Management measures. To begin with they have created a short scoping survey. This is your opportunity to contribute to this survey.
The survey is accessible via the link below and will close towards the end of June.
In 2010 a large scale dune restoration project was completed at West Sands Beach, St Andrews. Due to the location of the site in the SAC, it’s designation within an SSSI and Natura 2000 site; all work had to ensure conservation objectives were met. Preliminary work to determine and map the sediment patterns and grain size distributions within the dunes and intertidal area was crucial to the long term viability and success of the project. A “donor” site was identified that could withstand periodic sediment extraction without suffering long term consequences.
This report (published by CREW) provides a review and analysis of information on the passage by fish at wooden obstacles (woody placements), used for flood management, in Scotland.
In 2016 a Natural Flood Management Handbook was published by SEPA. This comprehensive document provides an overview to Natural Flood Management. Lead author, Heather Forbes, Senior Policy Officer in SEPA’s Flood Risk Management team, said: