Councillors endorse natural flood management projects

Climate change is bringing increased rainfall to the UK, including more frequent periods of intense and heavy rain that can cause serious flooding and damage to property. 

Working with partners that includes the Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust, Sussex Wildlife Trust and landowners, the council is helping to deliver solutions that create space for water and slow its flow during heavy rainfall.

Councillor Emily O'Brien and Councillor Mark Slater were shown how Year 7 students at Chailey School have worked with the Sussex Wildlife Trust to build woody dams in the Romany Ridge area of Chailey Common, as part of the Wilder Ouse project.   

Councillor O'Brien said:

"In addition to the students gaining a greater appreciation of the environment, their hard work has created a superb wet woodland habitat that can store up to 12,000 litres of water.

"This is win, win, win, for water storage, nature and the young people who have volunteered their time."

Building the dams involves positioning branches and twigs across existing channels, helping to slow water flow and hold it in the landscape, before draining the water when the rainfall has passed.

The team at Double Barn Farm on Newick Park Road are also working to make their farm more resilient to climate change. Their project involves capturing the rainwater that comes off barn roofs and hardstanding areas through a mix of rain gardens and swales.  The steps taken not only store water but also reduce residue pollution and levels of sediment. This stored rainwater is used on the farm and in doing so helps reduce the demand on the public water supply.

Councillor O'Brien added:

"We have been working successfully with Sussex Wildlife Trust and Ouse and Adur Tiver Trust for many years delivering projects with landowners across the Ouse catchment that store water and so help reduce flood risk to communities downstream.  These collaborations are delivering very positive change and outcomes that reduce the increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change."

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