The Natural Flood Management (NFM) Network Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government's Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (through Centre of Expertise for Waters and the Strategic Research Programme) was launched at an event organised by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Environment Agency and the Chartered Institute of Water and Environment Management.
The NFM website will provide a platform for sharing approaches, raising awareness and encouraging collaboration. It is hoped that access to this resource will create an invaluable tool for those tasked with delivering a sustainable approach to flood risk management in Scotland. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Having visited flood protection projects across Scotland, I have seen the benefits of working with nature to reduce flood risk.
“The Scottish Government is committing £42 million annually to protect homes in many of our most flood-prone areas. To fully capitalise on this, it is essential that we share our excellent practical and scientific skills, and this new network will help ensure that natural flood management actions are successfully delivered across Scotland.”
Scotland has long been seen as leading the way in the implementation of the Floods Directive, particularly with respect to NFM. Throughout the country, there are a large number of studies already taking place to deliver NFM and many more planned under Local Flood Risk Management plans. Therefore, there is a need to make sure knowledge is shared to aid co-ordination.
SEPA Chief Executive, Terry A’Hearn, added: “SEPA works every day to help Scotland be better prepared for future increased flooding. A vital part of that is working with our partners to identify how we can better manage flood risk, and the new NFM Network Scotland portal will be of great benefit to our staff in their roles.
“Natural Flood Management means working more with nature to reduce flood risk, but it also provides an opportunity to improve natural habitats for wildlife and increase community amenity. It is a great real-world example of taking an environmental threat, in this case flooding, and using it as an opportunity to provide mutual benefits for local communities, the environment and the economy.”
Launching this website is a step forward in ensuring best practice is shared and will ultimately help deliver the Flood Risk Management (FRM) Act cementing Scotland’s position as a leader in the delivery of catchment and coastal based approaches to FRM.
Dr Mark Wilkinson, project lead from the James Hutton Institute, commented: “The network is the product of a desire amongst people working with NFM in Scotland to share knowledge and best practice more efficiently and effectively.
“After following a simple registration process, the web platform allows users to add their own news, events, resources and case study contributions. Users also have the opportunity to connect with others involved in similar projects, research or activities.”
Flood & Coast is a unique event that advances the debate about flood and coast erosion risk, resilience and response between government bodies and local authorities with business, major infrastructure and asset managers, as well as affected communities. Embracing the concept of “a changing climate” the event draws on expertise and experience from different geographies – not only within the UK.
The event brings together the specialists in the supply chain that deliver technology and solutions to control the increasing risk of flood and rising sea levels around our coasts to spread best practice, discuss new ways of working and to deliver excellence in FCERM.
The key themes for this year's programme are:-
- Shared ownership and action
- Building resilience
- Future challenges and innovation
For more information and booking see the event website.
This one day seminar will bring together heritage organisations from across the UK to showcase work being undertaken to identify and quantify risks from climate change, and to share best practice.
This event will have particular relevance for practitioners or organisations who are looking to better understand the risk climate change poses to their own estate or property, or to the wider historic environment. For more information and booking, please visit the event webpage.
Working with Natural Processes: The Evidence Behind Natural Flood Management
Coordinated by the EA, CIWEM and SEPA, this conference launches the EA’s ‘Working with Natural Processes Evidence Base’ to help authorities develop and implement flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes which work with natural processes to reduce flood risk. It will include presentations from a range of projects that have successfully implemented NFM measures on the ground, through effective partnerships, whilst drawing on a range of funding streams.
The conference will also launch the NFM Network Scotland. This Scottish Government led initiative, part funded by CREW, aims to provide a focal point for NFM practitioners to share knowledge, research and experience in practical aspects of assessing and implementing NFM. While the network will having a Scottish focus it will be open to anyone and attendees will have the opportunity to sign up at the conference.
Registration is open via the CIWEM events website.
The revised Directive aims to improve the quality of drinking water, provide greater access and information to citizens and introduces a general obligation to apply a risk-based approach.
The proposal is in response to the European Citizens' Initiative 'Right2Water'.
The main elements of the revision include:
- Updates to existing safety standards in line with recommendations of the World Health Organisation
- Empowering authorities to better deal with risks to water supply and engage with polluter
- Improving information to consumers on the efficiency and effectiveness of water suppliers
- A contribution to the transition to a circular economy, notably the obligation to increase consumer confidence in tap water to reduce the amount of bottled water consumed
World Water Day - 22 March
Every year World Water Day is celebrated on 22nd March. This year the theme is 'Nature for Water' with events being held worldwide. The theme is encouraging nature-based solutions to the problems that we currently face, like floods, droughts, and pollution. Check out more at the World Water Day website.
The SULSA Antimicrobial Resistance Conference will be held at the University of Strathclyde 26-27 April 2018. By bringing together individuals across the spectrum of research, health, industry, and policy, the conference aims to inform and coordinate AMR activities in Scotland, including a seed-funding call for registered attendees. For more information, see the conference website.
In Scotland, private water supplies are regulated separately under The Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Type A private water supplies are currently sampled on an individual basis; however, changes to the Drinking Water Directive specify criteria for a flexible monitoring program, which means that low risk parameters may be removed from sampling under certain circumstances. This risk-based approach is a pragmatic means of complying with Directive requirements and targeting resources towards areas of higher risk.
In this project, a practical weight-of-evidence method was developed to identify where the risk of type A PWS contamination is greatest, based on historic monitoring data from the supplies as well as on the location of the supply in relation to surface and groundwater bodies. Aluminium, nitrate, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium were used as trial parameters to assess the feasibility of the method in Scotland.
Factoring Ecological Significance of Sources into Phosphorus Source Apportionment
Models describing the relative contributions of phosphorus (P) from different sources to water bodies (source apportionment) are key tools in determining priorities for mitigation strategies within the River Basin Management Planning process under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Previous source apportionment was simplistic because it was based on total P loads, even though not all P loading has the same ecological significance due to the form or timing of the loading. This project develops a descriptive methodology of how Total P loads provided by existing catchment models could be modified to take account of their impact on ecology. This modification works each modelled source (e.g. arable drainflow, urban runoff, grassland drainflow) through a sequential set of provided tables to adjust loads from Total P to bio-available P and then account for residence time and dilution potential. Data from the Tarland catchment is used to show a worked example of the method and the effect of accounting for ecological significance in the model.
How do we increase public understanding of the benefits provided by SuDS?
There is a need to increase awareness of the benefits that water provides and how our actions can help protect and improve them. Concerns over water quality and quantity are increasing around the world and these are exacerbated by climate change and other pressures. Arguably, and having a plentiful supply of water from rainfall, Scotland has not been severely affected by these issues. Consequently there is a perception that public understanding of water and the benefits provided is often low. Recent Scottish Government policy is to develop Scotland as the world’s first Hydro Nation which places more emphasis on water as central to our national identity. This agenda is increasing the international profile of Scotland’s skills and experience in supporting the good stewardship of water resources, and increase public awareness of the benefits that water provides and how our actions can help protect and improve them.CREW is developing a programme of knowledge exchange activities to help improve public understanding of water and the benefits that water provides, of which this project is a part.
This project was a public outreach activity that targeted primary and secondary school children located to the north of Dundee where there are excellent examples of SUDS. The key objective was to raise awareness of the Hydro Nation agenda with a scope that was twofold: 1) explain the urban water cycle; and 2) promote awareness and understanding of the local SUDS and related benefits.
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