SRA Annual report 2021-22: Introduction to Land Management including Natural Flood Management (NFM)
Somerset Rivers Authority funds many Natural Flood Management (NFM) activities across Somerset. All sorts of different techniques may be used, singly or in combination. All share the aim of reducing local flood risks, by slowing the flow of water down through catchments in ways that work with nature.
This workstream is led for the SRA by the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest (FWAG SW). It is known for its sophistication, strong partnership working and dogged attention to local detail. Measures taken to slow the flow of water down through catchments generally go under the popular local branding of Hills to Levels. A catch-all approach makes it easier for partners to get involved, and
to contribute match-funding so that more can be achieved. Many examples of different techniques and match-funding feature in this W2 section.
About Natural Flood Management (NFM)
As people often ask what ‘NFM’ means in practice, and how it works, take as an example creating a bank across the slope of a field and then planting a hedge on top. The bank acts as a physical barrier. The hedge takes up water through its roots. Together they reduce the run-off of surface water into watercourses downstream.
Moreover, by stopping sediment from sloping off, the bank helps to keep soil in a field – and out of a stream or drain or river – which has positive implications for water quality. Meanwhile, the hedge provides a corridor for wildlife. Together, such benefits advance the objectives of Somerset’s 20 Year Flood Action Plan.