Better Floodplain Management Joe Morris, Cranfield University

1. Research on Rural Resource Management and the Rural Economy: Addressing the Local and Regional DimensionRoyal Society of Edinburgh, Wednesday 16th May 2007 Better Floodplain Management Joe Morris, Cranfield University supported by colleagues from Cranfield and the Open Universities Research Team Cranfield University: Joe Morris, Tim Hess, Peter Leeds-Harrison, Paul Trawick, Quentin Dawson, Helena Posthumus, Open University: David Gowing, Jim Rouquette, Andy Blowers, River Restoration Centre: Jenny Mant Environmental Solutions: Graham Tucker

2. Schedule • Sustainable Development, natural capital and ecosystem services • Floodplains – suitable case for treatment • Implications for Policy • Conclusions and Acknowledgements

3. Sustainable Development Objectives: social, economic, environmental Governance, Scale Resources and limits: natural physical financial human social Development options: policies programmes projects

4. Ecosystem Functions, Uses and Values Indicators Hydrological, ecological, physical, chemical… Social and economic Natural Capital: land water air biosystems Ecosystem Functions: production regulation carrier habitat Information Ecosystem Uses, goods and services: Eg: Agriculture, Industry, Nature conservation, Tourism, Recreation Ecosystem Values: meeting stakeholder purposes and preferences: social. economic, environmental Stakeholders Property rights

5. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

6. Policy Challenge? • Public policy: ‘SD’ - is it possible? • What’s the link between natural capital, ecosystems functions and well-being? • What ‘understandings’ are required from physical, natural and social sciences? • Will a better understanding lead to action and outcomes? • What policies and other actions are needed to do this and deliver SD? • What’s the role of Governance?

7. The Case of Flood Plains: Flood Plains: level tracts of land liable to inundation by river water • Regional and local significance • Changing priorities and concerns ? • Reappraisal of land and water management ? • Policy realignment and integration ?

8. RELU Project: Integrated land and water management in flood plains Research Questions : • is it possible to achieve multiple objectives in ways which are appealing to major stakeholders, especially farmers? • what data bases and appraisal methods are needed to support decision making? • what are the best ways of achieving the widespread adoption of integrated management solutions?

9. Approach • historical analysis of the dynamics of change on selected Agricultural Flood Defence Schemes implemented during period 1960-1980. • 40 year historical perspective in order to look forward • building on integration

10. Conceptual Framework

11. A Case Example: Beckingham Marshes • History: • prior WWII: grassland & marsh, willow production • 1960-70: improved drainage, pumps, emergency flood storage • 1970-2000: arable production • 2005: RSPB plan re-conversion to grassland for lapwings, increase water table levels

12. Hydrological Component Classification of floodplain by degree of hydraulic control

13. Hydrological component Dupuit-Forcheimer based model of the interaction between soil typology, climate water management regime and the water table:

14. Land Management Component - Agriculture Frequency • Water regimes: • Flooding • Waterlogging Seasonality Duration Depth Standards of Agricultural Drainage Low Relative profitability of farming systems??? High

15. Beckingham Marshes Wetness of soils Land use GIS for mapping natural capital and ecosystems functions uses and values

16. Ecological component • Scale • International – Ramsar Convention, Habitats Directive • National – BAP priorities, SSSIs • Regional / County – County BAPs, SINCs • Local / Parish – species-rich hedgerows • Significance of the population \ habitat • Threat

17. Ecological component Modelling the effects of water regimes on biodiversity MG13: Inundation grassland → inundation pasture habitat Water table depth below ground level, m Months, jan - dec

18. Stakeholder analysis Stakeholder interests in Beckingham Marshes

19. Beckingham Marshes: Stakeholder analysis: water level management

20. Integration : Land use and habitat matrix Land use and habitat classification by flood and soil water regimes

21. Modelling land and water scenarios*: Beckingham *Based on monetary values

22. Outcomes of RELU Flood Plain Project • Demonstrate the feasibility and benefit of an integrated approach • Contribute to guidance on design and appraisal of land and water management options in floodplains • Identify scope for joined up policy and action

23. High Understanding Participatory modelling Expert based modelling Participation Low High Anecdotal elitism Participatory discussion Low Research Based Policy : informing choices • Develop understanding amongst stakeholders of ecosystem services and limits • Derive preferences and values for ecosystem services using a range of methods • Use ‘what if’ interactions supported by ‘modelling’ • Develop for different scales of governance • Key elements: • Knowledge exchange • Multi-criteria, limits/thresholds • Collective choice

24. General Conclusions – drawn from the floodplain • Policies for SD must be set within an ecosystems framework of capital, functions, uses and values • Multiple ‘sciences’ are needed to understand the trade- offs, synergies and limits involved • Diverse collaborations and long term commitment are needed • Scale, temporal and spatial, is critical • Need a practical framework for a spatially differentiated ecosystems based approach to joined- up policy management and development planning • Need regional and local ‘experiments’ to show it can make a difference

25. Credits Research Team Cranfield University: Joe Morris, Tim Hess, Peter Leeds-Harrison, Paul Trawick, Quentin Dawson, Helena Posthumus, Open University: David Gowing, Jim Rouquette, Andy Blowers, River Restoration Centre: Jenny Mant Environmental Solutions: Graham Tucker Thanks to: various participating stakeholders, especially farmers RELU Programme Team UK Research Councils, and Defra and SEERAD

26. Reference material • Contact email: j.morris@cranfield.ac.uk • Project website: http://www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/iwe/expertise/relu.htm: • Selected references: • Defra (2004) Making Space for Water. Developing a new government strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England. London: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs • Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Reports on http://www.maweb.org/en/index.aspx • Morris, J, Bannister, N., Hess, T.M., Gowing, D. J.G., Leeds-Harrison, P. B., Vivash, R., Wade, M. (2004) Integrated Washlands for Flood Defence and Biodiversity, Report to English Nature and Defra. English Nature Research Report Series No. 598. Peterborough: English Nature • Penning-Rowsell E, Johnson C, Tunstall S, Tapsell S, Morris J, Chatterton J, and Green C, (2006) The Benefits of Flood and Coastal Risk Management. (i) A Manual of Techniques , (ii) . A Handbook. Produced for Defra and Environment Agency. Enfield: Flood Hazard Research Centre, Middlesex University. • Thorne, C., Evans, E. and Penning-Rowsell, E . (eds) (2006). Future Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risks. London: Thomas Telford