Hydrological Extremes, Coasts and Risk Management

Natural Capital and River Basin Management Planning - Protecting and Improving Scotland’s Water Environment

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

River with surrounding woodland. Photo credit: Lorna Cole

Scotland is globally renowned for its natural resources like clean rivers, rich wildlife, heather moorlands and fresh air. Protecting, enhancing and restoring these resources provides us with many benefits and is essential to safeguard our future environment, wellbeing and the economy. River Basin Management Planning (RBMP) provides a framework to reduce pressures on Scotland’s water environment and protect and enhance the benefits that our rivers, lochs, wetlands and groundwaters provide.

CRW2025_08 Assessing Future Socio-Economic Water Demand in Scotland: Drivers and Patterns

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

Aerial view, Inverness, Scotland. Photo credit: Posnov. Source: Getty Images

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: CREW invites proposals for a c.7.5 month Capacity Building project to provide a national assessment of future socio-economic demands on Scotland’s water resources, identifying key drivers and patterns.

Budget: Funding available £115,000 exclusive of VAT (where applicable).

Call dates: Tuesday 24th February – Tuesday 21st April, 15:00.

Planning for Water Scarcity: Practical guidance for Scottish farmers and growers

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

Front Cover image of the CREW Planning for Water Scarcity guidance. This includes a image of a field, the guidance title and logos of SRUC, James Hutton Institute, University of Aberdeen and SAOS.

Water scarcity is an increasing risk across Scotland, particularly during the growing season. Changing rainfall patterns driven by climate change mean water can no longer be relied on as a consistently plentiful resource. This growing pressure affects farm businesses as well as the freshwater habitats and wildlife that depend on them.

What Comes Next for Flood Resilience? Reflections from Flood Resilience 2026

CRW2025_06 Source-to-sea risk and prioritisation – evidence and methods review

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

River flowing into Loch Clair, with Beinn Eighe mountain range in the background_Photo Credit_Rebekah Burman

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: CREW invites proposals for a c.9.5-month Capacity Building project to deliver an evidence synthesis and review, a gap analysis, and a methodological review focused on land- and freshwater-based sources of pressures relevant to the sensitivities of key assets in marine and estuarine waters.

Budget: Funding available £90,000 exclusive of VAT (where applicable).

CRW2025_03 Review of the impacts of short- and long-term hydrological drought, including intermittent flow recovery, on freshwater ecology in Scotland

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

The River Dee at low flow. Trees line the edge of the river, with white houses on the near left of the image. Photo Credit: Rachael Helliwell

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: CREW invites proposals for a c.9.5-month Capacity Building project to evaluate the impacts of hydrological drought and intermittent flow recovery on freshwater biota in Scottish river systems, and to assess whether current water scarcity policy provides adequate and practical environmental protection across different river typologies.

Call closed

CREW News Autumn 2025

Welcome to the autumn edition of our quarterly newsletter, CREW NEWS! In this edition we are shining a spotlight on how we embed impact in our work, highlighting recent events, seminars and publications, and hearing from our Project Manager, Rebekah Burman.

We'd love to hear what you'd be interested in reading in future issues of CREW NEWS.

CRW2025_02 Reducing the mental health and wellbeing impacts of flooding: Informing cross-policy action in Scotland

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

Flooded Property and road. Photo Credit: Rachel Helliwell

Title: CRW2025_02 Reducing the mental health and wellbeing impacts of flooding: Informing cross-policy action in Scotland

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: CREW intends to commission a c.5 month Capacity Building project to develop an understanding of effective cross-policy actions that could be implemented in Scotland to mitigate the negative mental health and broader wellbeing impacts of all types of flooding.

CRW2025_01 Household flood plans in Scotland – applying behavioural learnings to inform best practice and uptake

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

River Dee with high water level and houses in the foreground. A hill can be seen in the background. Photo credit: Rachel Helliwell

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: This project aims to apply behavioural science evidence to produce a household flood plan template and consider future actions to support uptake.

Project Status: Project in progress.

Project lead: Glasgow Caledonian University

Exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence for flood forecasting in Scotland

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Research Funding cycle: 2022-27

Computer in the foreground with three SEPA staff working. A river flowing through the landscape in the background with houses and trees along the riverside. Photo credit: Michael Cranston. Image produced using Microsoft Copilot

Flooding is a growing concern in Scotland with climate change increasing the risk and frequency of extreme events. In Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is the body responsible for flood forecasting. Accurate flood forecasting plays a vital role in helping communities prepare, respond, and stay safe.

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