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Southwell Natural Flood Management Pilot

Project Catchment

Date

2016-2020

Reducing flood risk with the local flood forum

On a July day in 2013 that started sunny, a sudden thunderstorm hit locals in Southwell. Water came gushing down the main road and over soil baked dry over the summer months. Many locals were taken by surprise by water flooding down the main road and into homes and businesses, causing significant damage and emotional stress. Determined to be prepared for the next event, locals joined forces with Nottinghamshire County Council and the National Flood Forum and formed Southwell Flood Forum; a community initiative, designed to reduce the risk of future devastation by bringing the best available flood risk mitigation methods to the community.

Consequently, European Union funding (INTERREG FRAMES) was secured in partnership by the Trent Rivers Trust, Nottinghamshire County Council and National Flood Forum to pioneer the use of Natural Flood Management in the catchment. The project was a large-scale collaboration between 15 pilot projects, across 5 countries with the main aim to integrate the Multi-layered Safety Approach into future flood risk policy, by using Natural Flood Management, the idea of working with nature to store and slow the flow of water. The project was a huge success and was shared nationally and at a European Level.