Not so long ago, the issue of the day was flooding….
This report, ‘The Enablers and Barriers to the Delivery of Natural Flood Management Projects’ was commissioned by Defra, makes interesting (if long and quite detailed) reading.
The report shows findings about the delivery of Natural Flood Management (NFM) projects. In particular what acts as a barrier to delivery of NFM projects, and what enables these projects. This report presents research findings from a literature review, stakeholder engagements, a legal analysis and case study findings. It identifies the wide range of stakeholders involved in the delivery of NFM and explores their role. Cultural, institutional and social barriers and enablers to NFM are identified and possible improvements to NFM delivery are explored.
NFM continues to attract media coverage, having moved away from being a somewhat niche eccentricity a few years ago to a logical, viable and cost-effective element of flood defence with plenty of positive media coverage.
Here is the latest bit of coverage from the Guardian about NFM.
One of the case studies in the article is Glenridding in the Lake District, which was ‘trashed’’ by Storm Desmond. The Ullswater Catchment Management Community Interest Company (UCMIC) is a very good example of community, and especially farmer led initiatives to ‘slow the flow’.
Danny Teasdale of the UCMIC has written an article for our journal, Salmo Trutta, which is coming out soon — watch this space.…
Civil Engineers might be expected to be more comfortable with ‘hard’ flood management, but they reported the EA’s conclusion: ‘Natural Flood Management Deemed A Success’, report on a scheme at Earby on the River Aire in Yorkshire.
For a very clear description of NFM, check out the Wyre Rivers Trust resources. This excellent book is suitable for all ages.
And this video is an excellent introduction to the principles of Natural Flood Management.