Project title
Maintaining Natural Flood Management Measures: An Investigation of the Future Performance and Long-term Maintenance of Natural Flood Management Schemes
Project abstract
Flooding is an increasingly widespread hazard, intensified by climate and land use change. As limitations of traditional grey infrastructure become more apparent, policy has shifted toward nature based solutions (NbS), with natural flood management (NFM) emerging as a key approach. Although NFM aims to restore and enhance natural processes to reduce flood risk, many measures are implemented under the assumption that they are low cost and largely self sustaining. However, repeated disturbances, ecological change, and unclear governance responsibilities can undermine their long term performance, highlighting the need for effective maintenance strategies. This research investigates the long term sustainability of NFM by examining how maintenance is planned, delivered, and valued. It addresses three core objectives: assessing the extent to which maintenance is integrated into NFM projects; identifying the maintenance strategies required to sustain their effectiveness; and evaluating the economic value of NFM maintenance. The study strengthens the evidence base needed to support resilient, long lasting NbS for flood risk reduction.