New action over River Adur flooding across large swathe of Sussex

A major new project has been launched to cut the impact of flooding by the River Adur across a large swathe of Sussex.
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The Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust and Environment Agency have joined together to assess how they can help reduce the impact of heavy rainfall on properties and infrastructure across a wide area of the county.

With funding from the Regional Flood & Coastal Committee the next two years will see focus directed across the River Adur.

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The River Adur catchment area’s upper reaches form two distinct arms and the lower reaches fed from the Brighton Chalk Block.

Flooding from the River Adur near  The Bull Inn at Henfield in 2012  ENGSUS00120121206082952Flooding from the River Adur near  The Bull Inn at Henfield in 2012  ENGSUS00120121206082952
Flooding from the River Adur near The Bull Inn at Henfield in 2012 ENGSUS00120121206082952

The Western Arm rises near Slinfold, flowing through Shipley and West Grinstead, while the Eastern Arm rises on Ditchling Common and flows north and west between Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill.

About 2km north of Henfield is where the two arms meet before heading directly south towards Bramber.

Experts will work with landowners and communities across the project area to pinpoint where flooding occurs and identify flooding ‘hotspots.’

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Traditionally concrete barriers and other ‘hard’ defences, such as embankments have been used to protect homes from flood water and remain a common sight along rivers all over the country.

But they cost millions of pounds to build, often require expensive maintenance and are never 100 per cent guaranteed to work.

In addition, protecting one location can move the problem onto somewhere else, often the next house, village, or town downstream.

Working with natural processes such as the implementation of Natural Flood Management techniques it is aimed to work with the river system and its floodplains to slow and store water in a more natural way.

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The ambitious undertaking will be looking across the whole of the river catchment including the estuary and tidal extent, ensuring that the resulting strategy looks at both the immediate issues but also assesses and plans for the long-term impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and tidal surges.

Examples of techniques which will be investigated include introducing leaky woody debris dams to slow the flow and create in-channel habitat; introducing wetlands, ponds, and scrapes as features in the floodplain to provide increased water storage providing both flood and drought resilience; and supporting improvements to soil structure and rebuilding levels of organic matter to increase landscape permeability.

Additional benefits will include reduced soil erosion and sedimentation loss to streams and rivers;increased carbon capture and storage; improved water quality; and creation of new habitat to help restore biological diversity.

Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust director Peter King said: “We know that, with the right combination of measures, in the right place, backed by data, evidence and local knowledge, Natural Flood Management can help to slow flood peaks and reduce the depth and duration of flooding whilst also providing wider benefits to people and wildlife.

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“Early engagement with those who live and work across the river catchment will enable us to work together to tackle these complex issues and ensure that the resulting strategy is relevant to and supported by local communities.”

A number of organisations are working together to help develop the strategy including Adur & Worthing Council, Horsham District Council, South Downs National Park Authority, Natural England, Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and Sussex Wildlife Trust.

Anyone who lives in the River Adur catchment and has been affected by flooding is asked to contact: [email protected]

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