Keywords: Multiple Benefit, 3m Pollution strips, Biodiversity, Wellbeing, Quantity/Quality Control.
Ultimately the hypothesis and challenge for policy makers is that hydraulically robust ‘agri’-structures (3m wide water restrictive hedgerows at field boundaries) will perform as modelled and offer a simple and practical reduction of the risk of flood damage to people and property. There is solid evidence that opportunity exists for worthwhile development. Current DEFRA pilots offer a window of opportunity to assess the Multiple Benefits of High Friction attenuation of extreme uninsurable (30RP – 60RP) events.
Effective hydraulic friction
The broader aim of stimulating attenuation research into hydraulically productive land-use has been shown to be achievable which, in turn, suggests that such floodplain management would be as sustainable as routine cross-compliance, and as economical as routine biomass production.
This watercourse has biodiversity corridor, but no hydraulic friction
Pragmatic agricultural research (of multi-function buffer-strips) will need to be developed to match modelled vegetative structures. Furthermore, as WFD drives water quality up, control of water quantity (ie polluted floodwater) will be driven up in tandem.
Multiple Benefits of High Friction Floodplains 