Flood risk is increasing. By 2050, floods are 25% more likely in the Soar catchment, an area stretching between Leicester and Nottinghamshire. To mitigate against the worst impacts of flooding, we are working to find nature-based solutions. Using the Natural Flood Management approach, this project, situated in Loughborough’s countryside, installed 26 Natural Flood Management features that slow the water within the Wood Brook catchment during and immediately after rainfall events. Working in and around the brook, wetlands, online and offline ponds, living bunds and trees were among the features that have been installed in the area.
Modelling flood risk at community-level has helped identify opportunities and priority areas, such as the Charnwood area in Leicestershire. Here we worked with 2 local livestock farmers, both with land than neighbours the brook. On the livestock-grazed farmland, we identified the paths taken by over-land flow during and after rainfall events. Based on these findings, we made recommendations on appropriate flood management features. Working closely with the farmers, we identified 26 features in total that would slow the flow of water, enabling the water to percolate through the soil slowly and increase the time taken for the peak flows to reach Nanpantan and Loughborough downstream.
The work was completed in two phases. In winter 2021/2022, we planted trees and installed leaky barriers. In summer-autumn 2022, we completed the remaining capital works such as the pond digging and wetland extensions. The monitoring of the features during peak flow events is ongoing and will continue into 2023..
Through this work we established or enhanced lots of small-scale natural features in the catchment, such as wetlands and ponds, allowing us to reduce flood risk by holding water back in the landscape.
The work is part of a £3.9 million investment funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund, Environment Agency and National Forest Company which aims to restore the Charnwood Geopark Area at landscape level.
While the monitoring of this project focuses on flood risk reduction, its features, particularly its wetlands, ponds and trees, provide a varied habitat for wildlife, contributing to other biodiversity schemes the farmer has agreed to install on her land.
This work has been supported and funded by
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