Natural Flood Management: Current Evidence Base and Future Needs 

Ian Pattison, Associate Professor in Physical Geography, Heriot Watt University

Wednesday 2nd October, 1-2pm, Cottrell LT 2V1 and streamed on Teams (if the link does not work for you contact tony.robertson[a]stir.ac.uk). This seminar is open to all staff, students and affiliates of the University of Stirling. The seminar is hosted by Biological and Environmental Sciences (BES).

Title: Natural Flood Management: Current Evidence Base and Future Needs

Abstract: Flooding, and its management, cost the UK £2.2billion per year. Under current economic pressures, flood policy is shifting from entirely flood defences to broader management strategies. This includes “Natural Flood Management” (NFM) which aims to restore the natural functioning of catchments to store water and slow the flow. Examples of NFM include tree planting, leaky dams and river restoration, along with agricultural land management.

However, despite gaining popularity with policy makers and flood action groups, a lack of evidence on its effectiveness and advice about how to go about implementing such an innovative approach are limiting its success.
There are two gaps in current knowledge relating to the effectiveness of NFM. First, at the intervention scale, we do not understand how much hydrological processes are modified by the NFM feature. Second, at the larger sub-catchment and sub-catchment scale, we have limited knowledge of how the effect of the interventions combine together and propagate through the river system. The importance of how sub-catchments interact in terms of tributary synchronicity is essential to understand in terms of larger scale scheme design (Pattison et al., 2014).

Here, Ian will report findings from the COMPACT project, on the effect of soil compaction on runoff and flood risk. Soil characteristics were assessed at a range of spatial scales and for different land management practices across the catchment. Continuous spatial mapping allowed zones of compaction to be identified, and therefore target alleviation measures. Finally, the consequences of different levels of soil compaction on catchment scale flood risk will be assessed.

Bio: Dr Ian Pattison is an Associate Professor in Physical Geography at Heriot Watt University, within the interdisciplinary School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society. His main research interest focusses on Nature Based Solutions and Ecosystem Services and how these relate to Natural Capital. Past research includes a Soil Security Programme NERC grant, “COMPACT: The role of soil management in mitigating Catchment Flood Risk” (NE/P014399/1). He has also researched urban flood risk, flood forecasting systems and the barriers to NFM mainstreaming. His research has resulted in the publication of the “Water Friendly Farming Good Practice Guide” by the Eden Rivers Trust. He was the Honorary Secretary of the British Hydrological Society 2014-2018.