Natural Flood Management Jonathan Cooper Director

Introduction CFRAM capital programme can only be part of the measures to reduce the State’s flood risk profile Complimentary use of non-structural responses following the completion of the OPW Flood Risk Management Plans, with a focus on green infrastructure and land management changes.  How achievable is this in Ireland following lessons learnt in other jurisdictions and as a result of the Flood Risk Management Plans?

Why is Natural Flood Management Important? EU uses Green Infrastructure in its broadest context Triple benefits – Protection of fluvial and coastal eco systems Mitigation of climate change and carbon sequestration Cost effective risk reduction Presumption of best environmental options Synergies with key EU policy areas Soil/Agricultural/Forestry/Env Assessment

Natural Flood Management/ Water Retention Measures

Drivers for change Flood events and increasing severity is becoming the norm Proportion of GDP required to deliver capital solutions is becoming challenging EU Floods Directive an important step change Environmental legislation requires the assessment of alternative and non structural measures Communities are becoming more effective, articulate and realistic

Transition from Flood Defence to Flood Risk Management A culture change Cross sectoral and more political Prevention and Preparedness more effective than provision of defences Land use planning and rural land management important

CFRAM as the actor for change Information is critical to making the business case Flood Risk Management Plans should: Provide a full examination of strategic options? Provide a robust case for schemes with sustainable options? Did it make the case for integrated cross sectoral approach to managing flood risk? Are there tangible actions involving Non Structural or NFM measures which will be taken forward in the next Plan period?

What is missing in the plans Key linkages to Water Framework Directive Sediment transport Arterial Drainage Act legacy Call for a coordinated action on land management Explicit measures on natural flood management Examination of Maintenance programme and riparian activities Climate change adaptation

JBA response to NFM in CFRAM JBA first to apply UK methods to Ireland. GIS analysis and mapping of opportunities for natural flood management. Applied at the catchment scale. Example screening maps to prompt further investigation

JBA response to NFM in CFRAM Opportunities for re-naturalisation of floodplains and river channels

JBA response to NFM in CFRAM Opportunities for floodplain storage

JBA response to NFM in CFRAM Opportunities for runoff management

JBA response to NFM in CFRAM Summary table of opportunities (1)

JBA response to NFM in CFRAM Summary table of opportunities (2)

Barriers to NFM adoption Agricultural grant systems not aligned with FRM/NFM Long term funding of these measures Cross sectoral working is limited Lack of case studies with monitoring – proving the benefits Arterial drainage schemes focused on legacy objectives FRMP not proactive and scheme based

How is being taken forward in other jurisdictions - England Government competition to encourage new thinking in catchments 20 case studies reviewing modelling approaches R&D encouraging universities and research consultancies to innovate Role of rivers trusts and other land owning NGOs Involvement of community groups and farmers

How to Model and Map catchment processes https://www. gov Report and outputs on GOV.UK, contains: Advice on modelling and mapping each process in an FCERM context 20 case studies developed A library of tools developed

Broad-scale modelling, mapping, engagement, re-modelling, visualisation This is the approach that we’ve been taking with the modelling. Screening. Engaging. More detailed modelling © Jeremy Benn Associates Ltd 2015 Understanding and Assessing Flood Risk

The suite of national NFM opportunity maps made for the Environment Agency Over 5000 interactive PDFs that hyper-link and have drop-downs to explore different spatially mapped NFM opportunities First attempt at Mapping tree-planting, runoff attenuation features opportunities and benefits for England

Holnicote Pilot study

Predicted impact of measures for Holnicote

How is being taken forward in other jurisdictions - Romania Babadag Flood Relief Scheme. Seeking EIB funding. EIB funding application requires full compliance with EU Floods Directive, EU Water Framework Directive, and EU Habitats and Birds Directive This means Green Infrastructure in the form of Natural Flood Retention Measures must be considered and included as part of the project

How is being taken forward in other jurisdictions - Romania Evidence of sediment issues in artificial river channel

How is NFM being taken forward in other jurisdictions? - Romania Upstream sediment sources in dry ravines Rapid response to runoff causes sediment and flood issues Managing the sediments also manages flood risk To qualify for EIB funding, this needs to be demonstrated and included as part of the project, not as a mitigation measure. Additional measures included Upstream sediment and flow storage Tree planting/land management

Application of methods to Ireland Political & Social Are there strategic opportunities for pilot studies? Screening of catchments where opportunities are present Ability to co-ordinate landowners (committee, single landowner) Local waters and communities offices as co-ordinators (WFD)? Landowners with capability to act (e.g. Coillte, Windfarms, Irish Water)

Application of methods to Ireland Funding & Governance Funding and governance required for: studies, implementation monitoring EU grants may introduce closer scrutiny on compliance with EU legislation

Application of methods to Ireland Technical Can process led simulation approaches apply to Ireland?

Conclusions Economic modelling using Natural Capital techniques is now being piloted (Agri/WQ/FRM benefits) in the UK for NFM NFM will not solve a flood problem, but will make structural solutions more resilient and easier to maintain We need take that leap of faith and create pilot schemes It must be cross sectoral and extend beyond the CFRAM