Update June 2021

Despite a challenging couple of years, with two wet winters and a pandemic, the Natural Flood Management (NFM) project delivered jointly by Worcestershire County Council (WCC) and the Environment Agency (EA) with the support of the Isbourne Catchment Group (ICG) has seen the installation of many small, low-cost interventions across the catchment, which collectively will help slow the flow of water and make a difference to flooding in downstream areas, as well as create wetland habitats.

As we reach the end of the initial phase of funding it is satisfying to be able to report that through liaison with landowners, farmers and contractors within the Isbourne catchment, the project team now have 101 NFM features in place.

Critically, the EA and WCC view the results to date as very promising and plan to continue the project, at least for the next six years, building on and adding to what has already been put in place.

Works to date have been spread across the catchment including at Charlton Abbots, Sudeley, Laverton Hill Farm & Village, Upper Farmcote and Didbrook. We are grateful to landowners who have cooperated so extensively, but in the next phase we are hoping that other landowners will also commit to work, especially as they can now see the evidence of schemes in operation.

The works are many and varied and a selection of the interventions are detailed below:

The Farmcote tributary, has had 18 interventions at the top of the catchment. This is a combination of leaky dams, attenuation areas and the utilisation of an old mill pond to create additional storage and wetland habitat. The drone photo captured by a PhD student from the University of Worcestershire highlights the amount of storage created at Upper Farmcote.

Downstream from the Upper Farmcote project, the team has worked closely with H A Day and installed 14 interventions upstream of Hailes Fruit Farm and a further 18 interventions at Didbrook, including reinstating a meander.

Laverton Hill Farm has had a series of wetland ponds along spring lines created. These will hopefully evolve into established wetlands, but also have the capacity to store additional water during times of heavy rain. To date, 9 of these ponds have been created along with the planting of 500 trees.

Hillside tree planting will cause run-off flows to be intercepted and increase the rate of infiltration.

Other measures which can also help to slow and attenuate flows include hedge planting, contour ploughing, the use of cover crops and field aeration to name just a few.

Natural Flood Management is now an ‘accepted’ strategy fully supported by government as a practical and cost-effective solution to flooding challenges.

The Isbourne Catchment Group is grateful for the massive contributions from Brian Smith of the EA and Wendy Bufton WCC NFM project officer and we look forward to working with them on the next phases.

Additionally, the natural flood work undertaken to slow the flow in the Isbourne has encouraged others to raise concerns and seek solutions. Through Winchcombe Town Council, GCC Highways will be working to reduce the flow of water onto the roads at times of heavy rainfall. Part of the challenge is the run-off from fields nearby which damages roads and threatens to flood residential properties. Winchcombe Business Park properties continue to suffer when the River Isbourne rises after heavy rain and stormwater from higher ground floods across the B4632. Added to that, the scale of recent rainfall which led to significant undermining alongside the very popular riverside path. Natural flood management can be one contribution to reducing these impacts.

If you would like more information or would like to discuss how NFM could work on your land, please do get in touch either with the ICG at icg@sedgeberrow.com or Wendy Bufton Natural Flood Management Project Officer directly on 01905 843735, Mobile 07548 148301 or Email wbufton@worcestershire.gov.uk