Land Management and Flooding Where are we now? Tarland farmer s workshop Andrea Johnstonova, SEPA
The talk will cover Some background information: NFM under the FRM Act Implementation so far and examples of work What will happen next
Background information - The concept of natural flood management received much support during the FRM Bill parliamentary process - It was recognised as an important part of the sustainable approach and to the management of sources and pathways of floodwaters - As a result, the position on natural flood management is well defined in the FRM Act I think we all appreciate that the evidence base supporting the use of more natural approaches to managing flooding is currently limited. However, available information does suggest that some techniques show significant promise. Furthermore, the added benefits that can be gained from adopting more natural approaches to managing flooding, which include environmental and social benefits, are clearly something we should be aiming to take advantage of. (Minister for the Environment, Roseanna Cunningham during stage 2 of the FRM Bill)
NFM is part of the sustainable approach
Sources: pathways: receptors: impacts Pathways: Routes between sources and receptor: Interception, evaporation, overland flow, subsurface flow, river flow etc Sources: Weather events, Precipitation, tidal surges etc Receptors and Impacts: Receptors are people, industries, built,and natural environments. Impacts are the effects on receptors - inundated properties, service disruption, health and well being, environmental damage
NFM: part of statutory framework Ensures: Development of information on the characteristics of catchments and coastal areas, including the mapping of existing natural features is undertaken (sections 9 (4)and section 19) Assessment of the potential contribution that altering or restoring natural features and characteristics can make to managing flood risk (section 20) Contribution identified through the section 20 assessment and any other NFM measures are considered in the objectives setting process and measures identification (section 28(1)(a)(iii)) (section 28(3)(4)) Consideration is given to the full range of costs and benefits (social, economic and environmental) that measures or combination of measures will bring (section 28(1)(v)(vi)) The most sustainable measures for managing flood risk are selected (section 27(4)(b)).
FRM Act: Section 20 assessment Section 20 (1) requires SEPA, by 22 December 2013, to assess whether alteration (including enhancement) or restoration of natural features and characteristics of any river basin or coastal area in a flood risk management district could contribute to the management of flood risk for that district. National appraisal of the potential contribution that restoration, enhancement or alteration of natural features and characteristics can make to managing flood risk. Includes features/characteristics that: retain/slow water/otherwise manage floodwaters, e.g. floodplains, woodlands and wetlands; contribute to transporting and depositing sediment, and the shape of rivers and coastal areas, e.g. coastal realignment. Practical implication - we need to fully appreciate needs of land owners and develop appropriate delivery instruments (incentives, compensation, SRDP measures).
Draft Ministerial Guidance on SFM: Outcome 2: Rural and urban landscapes with space to store water and slow down the progress of floods Recognising that: Our urban and rural landscape can play an important role in storing and slowing flood waters. As far as possible, human interference into these processes should be prevented and reversed. This will not only help to reduce flood risk, it will promote the healthy functioning of Scotland s environment and the wildlife it supports. SFM guidance Draft Ministerial guidance on SFM strongly promotes the role of NFM in flood risk management planning: - Promotion of integrated water management and delivery of multiple benefits (e.g. restoration) - Promotion of the ecosystem approach - Use of source-pathway-receptorimpact model to identifying objectives and measures - Guidance chapter on working with catchments, including balancing the needs of the rural sector
How is it being implemented? 1. National flood risk assessment development of catchment information 2. SAIFF and Task and Finish group on land management and flooding (partnership approach) 3. Demonstration projects and support for partnership projects 4. SEPA led 3 rd party projects
1. National flood risk assessment NFRA will create a broad-scale picture of the causes and impacts of flooding across Scotland. Information developed for NFRAs will support the preparation of flood risk management plans As part of the process, NFRA will develop information about catchments - Topography and land use - Catchment boundaries - Hydrological and geo-morphological information - Natural features and characteristics
2. SAIFF and Task and Finish group 1. Establishing common understanding of FRM Act terminology and its requirements 2. Review the scope of SRDP to deliver flood management and recommend short and long-term changes 3. Review of compensation methods for ecosystem services 4. Development of principles for taking forward section 20 assessment 5. Development of a work plan to address gaps and prioritise future work
Example 1: Establishing common understanding FRM Act definition: Alteration (including enhancement) or restoration of natural features and characteristics of any river basin or coastal area that could contribute to the management of flood risk for the district FRM Act term What it means? Practical examples Restoration Enhancement Alteration A return of a feature or characteristic to an appropriate former, original, normal or unimpaired condition. An improvement to the function of a feature or characteristic to make it more effective for flood risk management. A change / modification to the feature or characteristic that would result in improvement of its flood risk management function. Coastal realignment Improvement in soil management to increase infiltration and reduce runoff Modification of a floodplain (such as deepening) to improve floodwater storage
These terms describe a continuum of a wide range of actions The intention is to first look at techniques that aim to restore natural processes before considering approaches that alter or disrupt them. Natural flood management techniques + Working with nature - Restoration Enhancement Alteration Return to a more natural state, eg re-meandering, restoration of floodplains, and coastal realignment. Improve the existing function of the natural environments to manage flood risk, eg through increased roughness and land management changes. SUDS Regulated tidal exchange A change/modification to the existing function for the purpose of FRM, eg creation of washlands, storage reservoirs, flood defences.
Natural flood management techniques at catchment scale Uplands: Improving soil water storage, capturing run-off and managing stream flows: -reducing overgrazing -blocking field drains -restoring native upland woodland areas -restoring gully woodlands Mid reaches/lowlands: Improving water storage and slowing the flow of water: -restoring native woodlands and floodplain forests -installing buffer strips -restoring river channels and re-connecting rivers and floodplains -land use change, e.g. arable reversion Urban scale: Improving flood water storage and reducing surface water run-off: -sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) -green roofs -permeable surfaces Coasts: Reducing pressure of sea level rise and coastal erosion: -managed realignment of sea defences -tidal exchange
Example 2: NFM Work-plan The work plan covers period from 2010 2015 The workplan is arranged around 3 key themes of work: - Building the evidence base - Addressing the policy challenge - Dealing with practical implementation issues Each theme includes a set of outcomes (long-term ambition) and a set of actions/projects Communicating with farmers and raising awareness is important to the success of implementation Workplan at a draft stage, and further consultation activities planned (SAIFF, SNIFFER, NFM workshop)
3. Demonstration / partnership projects Allan Water restoration scoping study: - examining the potential for using natural flood management techniques to reduce flood risk in the catchment Eddleston Water restoration project Firth of Forth Futurescapes 2 local authority led projects
4. SEPA led 3 rd party projects Development of wetlands inventory Development of a predictive GIS tool for undertaking Section 20 assessment - The tool should allow for the assessment of the potential contribution that NFM techniques/interventions can make to the management of flood risk in catchments and coastal areas in Scotland.
Conclusions Lots of work on the way and planned but still a long way to go Communications and working with farmers is essential to the success of all activities The NFM work-plan will contain important actions to ensure delivery on the ground Anything we can learn from farmers and those with experience is of crucial importance