Introduction
The Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) are working collaboratively on an innovative Natural Flood Management (NFM) programme. The programme is designed to mainstream NFM in the catchment and provide projects with a more streamlined way to access funding.
The Thames RFCC have been trialling a simplified approach to funding NFM projects using a local levy. Their NFM programme, which has recently been extended until 2027, involves the creation of an NFM priority and opportunity map and funding rounds to support the delivery of both small and sub-catchment scale projects.
As part of this programme and funded by Thames RFCC, WWT are providing expert advice to encourage the uptake of NFM in the Thames catchment. With support from the Thames RFCC and the Thames Flood Advisors, this collaborative project has been working to engage stakeholders, fund the delivery of NFM projects and increase the evidence base for the benefits of NFM.
Alongside the delivery of NFM projects, upskilling events including webinars1 and site visits (Figure 1) are being completed to enable stakeholders to learn more about the benefits and practicalities of implementing NFM. Work has also been carried out to understand the main barriers to NFM implementation at scale via workshops with landowners, the public and community support professionals. The top barriers to community engagement with NFM were reported as funding and support for maintenance and liability, in addition to the existing evidence gaps around how NFM works in different environmental conditions. This highlights areas that need further focus to progress the mainstreaming of NFM across the country.
Project delivery
In Phase 2 of the programme twenty-one small scale NFM schemes were allocated funding across the Thames catchment. These schemes will help to reduce flood risk using a number of different interventions including wetland creation, river restoration, water attenuation areas and leaky dams (Figure 2). These interventions slow the flow of water, helping to mitigate flood risk in areas downstream, and they also provide a number of biodiversity and social benefits to local communities.
Case study: Littleworth NFM project
This collaborative project was led by Oxfordshire County Council, South Oxfordshire District Council and Freshwater Habitats Trust, with support from local community groups. The project is located within the Littleworth Nature reserve and involved the implementation of 11 willow hinge dams along the Wheatley Brook, in addition to willow spilling (a traditional technique of weaving willow together) to protect the banks from erosion (Figure 3). The project cost £29,000 and was fully funded by the Thames RFCC NFM fund. It is anticipated to bring ecological, community and flood benefits to properties in close proximity by creating wetland habitat and slowing the flow of water in a reactive catchment.
Case study: Ogbourne Down NFM project
Approximately 800m of river and associated floodplain and offline storage areas were restored in in this project. Historically, this section of the river Og was straightened and channelised to make space for farmland which had resulted in flooding issues in the village. Removing this lateral constraint and reconnecting the river to its floodplain (Figure 4) has increased water storage and had a number of water quality and biodiversity benefits. This project received £50,000 of Thames RFCC funding and was delivered by Wiltshire County Council, Action for River Kennet and the landowner.
These projects, and the numerous others in the Thames, represent how NFM can be a component of integrated water management across a catchment. NFM can provide flood alleviation and a number of societal benefits to help communities become more resilient to future climatic changes. These can feature alongside other interventions like constructed wetlands, SuDS and sustainable farming practices to protect resources within the water cycle.
What next?
The third phase of the Thames RFCC NFM programme supports the delivery of several sub-catchment scale projects which will aim to reduce flood risk and contribute to evidence gaps using innovative monitoring methodology. Projects will be collaborative to maximise the positive impact on local communities and their sense of ownership of local flood protection.
Alongside this, the momentum of mainstreaming NFM will continue in the Thames catchment as the Thames RFCC has recently set aside an additional £1.2 million of levy funding to support further small-scale NFM schemes. To help direct the NFM advisory support, a mapping exercise was completed by WWT to identify the most at-risk waterbodies in the Thames area which have the best opportunity to deliver NFM interventions. Local authorities, NGOs and communities in these priority areas will receive proactive support from the NFM advisor to help develop suitable NFM schemes for funding.
Corrie Grafton works for WWT and is the project manager and NFM Advisor for the Thames NFM Advice project. Her background is in environmental science, ecology and policy with a special interest in Nature Based Solutions (corrie.grafton@wwt.org.uk).
[i] Wildlife and Wetlands Trust (2023) Thames Catchment NFM Advice. https://www.wwt.org.uk/our-work/projects/thames-catchment-nfm-advice
References
- Wildlife and Wetlands Trust (2023) Thames Catchment NFM Advice. https://www.wwt.org.uk/our-work/projects/thames-catchment-nfm-advice (Accessed: 17 February 2025).
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