Achieving multiple benefits through

river and wetland restoration

Alastair Driver, National Biodiversity Manager

Environment Agency

Multiple Benefits

Through Flood Risk Management

KILLER FACT from the Mddx Univ Socio-economic study of the R. Quaggy: The average amount of time spent per person in Sutcliffe Park increased by 44% after “daylighting” of the river.

River Quaggy at Sutcliffe Park, South London, before and after flood alleviation work

Multiple BenefitsThrough Flood Storage Area enhancement

EA flood storage area of very limited biodiversity value

R. Beam Parklands, Dagenham

Multiple BenefitsThrough Coastal Erosion Risk Management

Steart managed realignment project, Somerset

KILLER FACT from EA Ecosystem Services Case Studies report: 400 ha Alkborough Flats managed realignment scheme cost app. £10M and provided £12M of storm protection to land and property. Other ecosystems services benefits = app. £1M p.a.

Alkborough Flats

Multiple BenefitsThrough Coastal Erosion Risk Management

Freshwater wetland creation at Great Bells Farm, Isle of Sheppey

Tidal surge breach, Dunwich, Suffolk. Oct 2007

Tidal surge breach, Cley- Salthouse, Norfolk. Dec 2013

Multiple Benefits Through WFD – on watercourses

Radcot Weir bypass channel, R. Thames

Weir removal at Prestolee on R. Irwell

Multiple Benefits Through WFD – river restoration

R. Leith in Cumbria

Natural breach (L)

Restoration (R)

R. Medlock in Manchester – brick and concrete lining removal

Multiple Benefits

Through WFD on land

Lunt Meadows, North Merseyside

Fobney Island, Reading

KILLER FACT from study of ponds in Northumberland: Organic carbon is 10% in uncompacted sediments in permanent ponds compared with 3% in adjacent agricultural land

Multiple BenefitsThrough upland restoration

Operation Peatland, Forest of Bowland

Upland bog restoration – Hafren Forest, Upper Severn

KILLER FACT from Moors for the Future : eroded bare peat catchments produce extremely ‘flashy’ storm-flow, with significantly shorter hydrograph lag times (20 mins) than observed at an intact reference catchment (70 mins).

Multiple BenefitsThrough sustainable land management

KILLER FACT from Defra Soil Strategy for England 2009: The water treatment cost of soil erosion is app. £21 million p.a. in England. Agriculture is responsible for 25% of the phosphorus but 75% of the sediment in rivers.

Washing topsoil down the drain – Jan 2014

Multiple Benefits Through Town and Country

Planning

River Ravensbourne at Cornmill Gardens,

South London

Multiple benefits Through SUDS

Green roof, London

Surface water collection pond, Dunfermline

KILLER FACT from Environment Agency Introduction to SUDS: On average, urbanisation without SUDS trebles the rate of run-off during storm events

SUDS for Schools examples

Multiple interventions - Holnicote example

Multiple interventions - Belford example

Thankyou for your attention