Natural England: Tackling flooding in Norfolk and Suffolk

As climate change brings more frequent and severe flooding, innovative solutions are emerging to tackle these challenges. Working with nature, not against it, Natural England is proposing schemes to help tackle flooding in Norfolk and Suffolk.  

Projects in their region – one on the River Wissey in Norfolk and another along Suffolk’s Deben Estuary – are showing how nature-based solutions can help reduce flood risks while revitalizing landscapes and supporting wildlife. 

In Norfolk, Natural England is using technology to help restore and manage water along the River Wissey. 

This technology has allowed experts to map a 6.6km stretch in detail, offering a unique view to inform which areas of arable land on either side of the river are less productive and better suited to manage flooding.

Also, this technique helps to prevent larger, catastrophic flood events from occurring by giving the river more room to expand in desired locations, rather than it bursting its banks uncontrollably. 

Natural Flood Management, (NFM), is an approach that works with nature, not against it. Instead of relying on traditional flood defenses like walls and dams, NFM focuses on natural techniques like tree planting, wetland creation, and river re-meandering to slow water flow.