HOW TO USE FLOODPLAINS FOR FLOOD RISK ... - SGGW

Executive summary
flooding, all of which have significantly impacted
floodplains. Despite recent changes to the CAP for
environmental benefits, many floodplains are still in a
state of severe degradation.
The most important piece of recent legislation that
affects the restoration and conservation of floodplains
is the Water Framework Directive (EC/60/2000), although
it does not explicitly address natural flood defence.
Indirectly, however, the issue of flood management
is included, since the Directive requires that
no further deterioration of river systems is to be allowed.
Reduction of flood impact is a stated goal of
the Water Framework Directive, though precautionary
measures are not specified.
The Water Framework Directive and the 11 water related
Directives associated with it provide a mechanism
for the implementation of floodplain restoration
for the purposes of natural flood defence, and support
not only hydrological values (e.g. flood reduction), but
also many of the additional benefits a naturally functioning
floodplain can deliver through promotion of
good ecological status of wetlands (and floodplains).
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Despite increasing knowledge of the role floodplains
play in catchment hydrology, particularly flood defence,
and the many other values and benefits they
can provide, there are a number of areas in which
knowledge is still lacking. Further scientific research
is required into the hydrological role of forests on
floodplains despite some already detailed reports
Figure 5. The role of floodplain forests in natural
flood defence is still unclear. (Sauga River, Estonia)
Photo: E. de Bruin/Grontmij
such as those arising from the FLOBAR Projects
(Hughes, 2003), the hydrological role of wetlands,
best management practices upstream of floodplain
limits and floodplain management in estuarine/intertidal
zones.
The factor that is most likely to impact natural flood
defence schemes in the future is global change. Predictions
for changes in climate vary widely, but inevitably
changing patterns of rainfall and sea level rise
will impact the need for flood defences, and the ways
in which flooding is managed.
Increasingly, tools such as ‘The Planning Kit’ (Van
Schindel, 2005) and the WEDSS (Modé, et al., 2002)
must be used to help understand how ecosystems are
functioning and the implications of different measures
with regard to natural flood defence. Additionally, application
of the Ecosystem Approach (Maltby, 1999)
will assist in developing the processes which can lead
to the most appropriate balance of natural floodplain
dynamics against other social and economic priorities.
In the future it is likely that the need and demand for
natural flood defences will increase. Already the construction
of housing and other developments is generally
forbidden or restricted on floodplains in recognition
of the problems it can cause. If our rivers are to
be managed in a sustainable way, it will be necessary
to manage them in as natural a way as possible, and
natural flood defence schemes, when managed and
undertaken in the correct fashion, can form part of a
holistic solution to the sustainable management of
flood risk, nature conservation, water quality and economics.
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