A combination of reform of agricultural policy, changing priorities in the
countryside, growing commitment to protect and enhance biodiversity, and
concerns about increased flood risk in lowlands have drawn attention to the
potential contribution that managed washlands can make to deliver benefits to
biodiversity and flood management. In this context, and with funding from Defra
and English Nature, the study reported here1 set out to determine the scope for
simultaneously achieving flood management and biodiversity objectives, and how
this might be achieved in practice. The broad purpose is to inform policy on
washland creation and management, including mechanisms for implementation if
deemed appropriate

Bannister, N.

Gowing, D. J.

Hess, Tim M.

Leeds-Harrison, Peter B.

Morris, Joe

Vivash, R. M.

Wade, M.

English

In the context of growing interest in finding sustainable solutions to flood
management in England and Wales, this study set out to determine the extent to
which benefits to flood management and biodiversity can be achieved through an
integrated approach to the creation and management of ‘washlands’. For the
purpose of the study, a washland is defined as “an area of the floodplain that
is allowed to flood or is deliberately flooded by a river or stream for flood
management purposes, with potential to form a wetland habitat”. Following a
questionnaire survey of engineers and conservationists, a review of selected
sites, and a workshop of key stakeholders, it was concluded that there is both
scope and willingness to exploit potential synergy. It appears, however, that
until now most washlands have either been used mainly for flood storage or for
wetland habitat, and there has been only a limited attempt to integrate the two
objectives. In many respects, the opportunity for integrating biodiversity
depends on the ability to maintain wet conditions on the washland beyond the
period of the flood event, and this largely depends on the dominant land use.
The scope is greatest where the washland is under grass or woodland, and actions
can be taken to ‘engineer’ or manage soil wetness regimes which serve
biodiversity interests. Such water management plans and related biodiversity
targets are best designed into washland management from the outset, rather than
as an afterthought, when conflicts of interest are likely to arise. While there
is much interest in pursuing an integrated approach, lack of funding for
biodiversity on washlands and the relative complexity of preparing the washland
case for appraisal appear to constrain washland development. Nevertheless,
washlands are perceived by engineers and conservationists alike to offer
potentially sustainable solutions to flooding, enabling biodiversity targets to
be met within an integrated approach to catchment flood management.
Recommendations were made to: • improve, through the use of guidance and
training, understanding between engineers and conservationists of how flood
management and biodiversity objectives can be simultaneously achieved; •
consider the establishment of a biodiversity fund to support the biodiversity
components of washland schemes; • develop practical guidance on the formulation
of washland management plans that exploit biodiversity potential by managing
wetness conditions in washlands beyond the flood-event period; • review how
washland creation and management can be integrated and help to deliver the
objectives of Biodiversity Action Plans and Catchment Fl

CERES Research Repository (Cranfield Univ.)

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http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/bitstream/1826/1207/1/Integrated%20washland%20management%20for%20flood%20defence%20and%20biodiversity%20-%20Full%20Report%20-%202004.pdf

Integrated washland management for flood defence and biodiversity

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