| Around the UK’s coasts and estuaries, we need to explore new ways of managing the flood risk for people and property. We must also ensure that no more valuable habitat is lost in these areas; coastal wetlands are vital not only to people, but also to very special communities of birds, animals and plants, and we have an obligation under European law to safeguard their future.
Traditional hard defences against flooding, such as sea walls, will continue to have an important role in protecting towns and cities. But new approaches to flood management are moving away from these solutions and looking at more natural methods of dealing with floodwater.
Working with nature
One approach that is helpful in upstream areas of estuaries is ‘flood storage’ where certain areas of land – called washlands – are allowed to flood when water levels in the estuary are exceptionally high. This controlled, infrequent flooding keeps the waters away from vulnerable homes and businesses. In coastal areas, habitats such as wetlands and saltmarshes can be very effective in buffering the force of incoming tides and waves, so reducing the damage to existing sea walls, homes and businesses.
However, as global warming causes sea levels around the UK to rise, these vital habitats – known as intertidal habitats – are being squeezed against hard flood defences, such as walls and embankments. Unable to naturally move inland, these habitats could eventually disappear. This is a process known as ‘coastal squeeze’.
Moving forward
One way to compensate for coastal squeeze, and to ensure vital habitats can exist, is to use a technique called ‘managed realignment’. This is the process of moving the line of flood defences inland and then breaching the old defence allowing the sea to naturally create more habitat. This technique also provides a level of protection from flooding, and means flood walls and embankments don’t have to be built as high to provide the same level of protection to communities.
Click here to see how managed realignment works.
Most managed realignment projects are delivered by the Environment Agency, as part of its flood risk management strategies, or as partnership projects with other bodies, such as the RSPB,
Natural England, Defra and the National Trust. Others are delivered by organisations like Associated British Ports (ABP) to offset habitat lost during port development.
There are already many successful schemes in the UK, bringing real benefits to local communities. Click here to find out more.
Links
The Environment Agency
Learn more about proposals for Flood Risk Management
www.environment–agency.gov.uk
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