Natural flood management: small-scale progress and larger-scale challenges

Wilkinson, M.; Addy, Stephen; Quinn, PF; Stutter, Marc

doi:10.1080/14702541.2019.1610571

Cited by 49 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The limited quantitative data associated with implementation of NBS at the large catchment scale is still a major barrier to making the case for CSE (Wilkinson et al, 2019). This is beginning to be addressed through larger catchment projects such as the Eddleston and EA pilot projects (including the 100 km 2 Upper Weardale demonstrator) in the United Kingdom (HM Gov, 2017;Tweed Forum, 2017).…”

Section: Cse Case Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Catchment systems engineering: An holistic approach to catchment management

et al. 2020

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Hydrological catchments today are largely the product of human activity. They have been engineered. The negative impacts of some of this engineering such as deforestation and agriculture intensification need to be addressed but the solution is not simply a matter of doing the opposite, for example through afforestation or moving to less-intensive farming. We propose a catchment systems engineering (CSE) approach that utilizes and expands on existing catchment-based approaches, combining interventions that work with or mimic natural processes with traditional "hard" engineering to provide a practical route to improved catchment function. The approach is predicated on the need to take an holistic view of catchments and to make proactive interventions that provide and enhance multiple ecosystem services. CSE seeks to address problems that are international in scope, recognizing the need to understand better how hydrological processes have changed due to human activity and how those changes influence frequency, duration, and severity of environmental problems such as floods, droughts, and poor water quality. The emphasis is placed on how we can act to engineer catchment systems to a safer functionally appropriate level utilizing measures such as nature-based solutions alongside traditional engineering structures. CSE is the means to provide multiple ecosystem services while recognizing trade-offs between reducing flood and drought risk directly, improving water quality and creating healthy habitats for wildlife. By targeting local hydrological flow pathways in defined spatial and temporal windows (e.g., during rainfall events at key locations such as riparian zones), CSE can deliver holistic water resource management now.

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Section: Cse Case Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Catchment systems engineering: An holistic approach to catchment management

et al. 2020

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“…It has been proposed that a more holistic catchment based approach is required, that includes the adoption of both structural and non‐structural methods (Pitt, ). Natural Flood Management (NFM) is being widely promoted as a non‐structural measure for reducing flood risk (European Commission, ; Scottish Government, 2019; Wilkinson, Addy, Quinn, & Stutter, ). NFM is defined as the alteration, restoration or use of landscape features to reduce flood risk (POST, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is limited empirical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of NFM interventions in reducing flood hazard at scales greater than ~10 km 2 (Dadson et al, ; Wilkinson et al, ), particularly for measures that promote online and offline temporary storage (Environment Agency, ). Wide‐ranging reviews of the impacts of rural land use and management practices have concluded that although changes in runoff can be significant at the field/plot scale, evidence of changes being transferred to downstream flood sites is lacking (McIntyre et al, ; O'Connell, Ewen, O'Donnell, & Quinn, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential of runoff attenuation features as a Natural Flood Management approach

Nicholson

O’Donnell

Wilkinson

et al. 2019

J Flood Risk Management

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“…NBS in the UK focussed on water management have typically been applied in a flooding context (Lane, 2017;Nicholson, Wilkinson, O'Donnell, & Quinn, 2012;Wilkinson, Addy, Quinn, & Stutter, 2019) but may also be suitable for drought mitigation (Hartmann & Slavíková, 2019;Sapiano, Schembri, & Brincat, 2013). Measures may include the building of bunds or barriers to temporarily store water allowing time for infiltration, more commonly applied in small-scale managed aquifer recharge projects (Escalante, Sebastián Sauto, & Gil, 2019;Glendenning & Vervoort, 2011), or cross-slope planting to capture snow during winter (Kravčík et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons from the 2018 drought for management of local water supplies in upland areas: A tracer‐based assessment

Fennell

Geris

Wilkinson

et al. 2020

Hydrological Processes

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Climate change, combined with industrial growth and increasing demand, could result in serious future water shortages and related water quality and temperature issues, especially for upland and humid areas. The extreme 2018 drought that prevailed throughout Europe provided an opportunity to investigate conditions likely to become more frequent in the future. For an upland rural catchment utilised by the distilling industry in NorthEast Scotland, a tracer-based survey combined discharge, electrical conductivity, stable water isotopes and temperature measurements to understand the impacts of drought on dominant stream water and industry water sources, both in terms of water quantity and quality (temperature). Results showed that water types (groundwater, ephemeral stream water, perennial stream water and water from small dams) were spatially distinct and varied more in space than time. With regards to the drought conditions we found that streams were largely maintained by groundwater during low flows. This also buffered stream water temperatures. Water types with high young water fractions were less resilient, resulting in streams with an ephemeral nature. Although our results demonstrated the importance of groundwater for drought resilience, water balance data revealed these storage reserves were being depleted and only recovered towards the end of the following year because of above average rainfall in 2019. Increased storage depletion under continued trends of extreme drought and water abstraction could be addressed via informed (nature based) management strategies which focus on increasing recharge. This may improve resilience to droughts as well as floods, but site specific testing and modelling are required to understand their potential. Results could have implications for management of water volumes and temperature, particularly for the sustainability of an historic industry, balancing requirements of rural communities and the environment.

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Natural flood management: small-scale progress and larger-scale challenges

Cited by 49 publications

References 19 publications

Catchment systems engineering: An holistic approach to catchment management

Catchment systems engineering: An holistic approach to catchment management

The potential of runoff attenuation features as a Natural Flood Management approach

Lessons from the 2018 drought for management of local water supplies in upland areas: A tracer‐based assessment

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