Why our floodplains matter.
This is one of our River Ecclesbourne floodplain meadows doing what it is supposed to do - holding back water to reduce the river flow.
Even normally, when the Ecclesbourne is within its banks, these meadows filter and store water reducing the risk of local and downstream flooding.
The National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England published by the Environment Agency in July 2020 states ‘‘Alongside flood and coastal defences, we need a broader range of actions for achieving climate resilient places. This includes avoiding inappropriate development in the floodplain and using nature based solutions to slow the flow of or store flood waters’’
These meadows also have another important function – helping to maintain healthy river ecosystems in order to sustain wildlife and biological diversity. The above Strategy recognises that ‘‘Loss of biodiversity is a significant risk because we depend upon our natural ecosystems for our health and wellbeing. Nature based solutions for flood and coastal risk management can make an important contribution to improving the environment for wildlife and people by enhancing river and coastal waters and creating and improving natural habitats.’’
In short, floodplains help to protect us and must be preserved for us to reap the benefits they bring.
Recently (January 2021), after a few days heavy rain, the Ecclesbourne was again very close to bursting its banks. The fields in the floodplain, which extends to Duffield where the Ecclesbourne enters the Derwent, were holding large amounts of water. The Derwent had broken its banks (see photos below), but fortunately not as badly as November 2019 when properties were flooded and the A6 was impassable. How much worse would this downstream flooding have been without the Ecclesbourne floodplains being able to operate as they should?
Any water held back harmlessly on the flood plains helps to protect against damaging floods elsewhere.
This is one of our River Ecclesbourne floodplain meadows doing what it is supposed to do - holding back water to reduce the river flow.
Even normally, when the Ecclesbourne is within its banks, these meadows filter and store water reducing the risk of local and downstream flooding.
The National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England published by the Environment Agency in July 2020 states ‘‘Alongside flood and coastal defences, we need a broader range of actions for achieving climate resilient places. This includes avoiding inappropriate development in the floodplain and using nature based solutions to slow the flow of or store flood waters’’
These meadows also have another important function – helping to maintain healthy river ecosystems in order to sustain wildlife and biological diversity. The above Strategy recognises that ‘‘Loss of biodiversity is a significant risk because we depend upon our natural ecosystems for our health and wellbeing. Nature based solutions for flood and coastal risk management can make an important contribution to improving the environment for wildlife and people by enhancing river and coastal waters and creating and improving natural habitats.’’
In short, floodplains help to protect us and must be preserved for us to reap the benefits they bring.
Recently (January 2021), after a few days heavy rain, the Ecclesbourne was again very close to bursting its banks. The fields in the floodplain, which extends to Duffield where the Ecclesbourne enters the Derwent, were holding large amounts of water. The Derwent had broken its banks (see photos below), but fortunately not as badly as November 2019 when properties were flooded and the A6 was impassable. How much worse would this downstream flooding have been without the Ecclesbourne floodplains being able to operate as they should?
Any water held back harmlessly on the flood plains helps to protect against damaging floods elsewhere.