Natural Flood Management

We have recently been awarded funding from the 25 million Defra/EA NFM Fund to deliver NFM projects in the Diss area. Engagement with those local to the area started this summer and we are now waiting for full Business Case sign-off. Alongside this we are recruiting for a Catchment Resilience Officer, who will lead on developing NFM in other areas within the Waveney Catchment. If you are interested in developing an NFM project, or feel it would help to reduce flooding where you live, please get in touch on info@riverwaveneytrust.org 

What with the flooding experienced in December 2020 and the threat of climate change, flooding has never been so high on the agenda in the Waveney Catchment. So the question is, What is Natural Flood Management?

Quite simply, Natural Flood Management (NFM) is using natural solutions to slow, capture, re-direct or store flood waters at times of high rainfall. This can prevent so much water from quickly flowing off the land and to the main river where it can cause flooding to homes and businesses. NFM measures can include tree or hedge planting, installing ‘leaky’ dams made from natural timber to hold back water, digging small pools or ponds to capture and store flood water and allowing the river to flow onto grassed floodplains where there is no risk to people or property. Healthy soils that allow the water to infiltrate are also really important.

The great thing about NFM is that it is also really good for creating new habitats and storing carbon.

Past projects in the Waveney include work in Gissing, Diss, in collaboration with Norfolk Rivers Trust. Read more on the project here.