Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme gov.uk

Growing evidence of the benefits of natural flood management

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February 12, 2025 08:36

We reviewed the latest research on natural flood management and updated the Working with natural processes evidence directory.

Saltmarsh restoration. Image credit: Environment Agency

Working with natural processes (WWNP) or natural flood management (NFM) protects, restores or emulates the natural functions of rivers, floodplains, catchments and the coast to reduce flooding and coastal erosion.

The updated Working with natural processes evidence directory was published in February 2025. It summarises the latest evidence for 17 NFM measures relating to river and floodplain, woodland, run-off, and coast and estuary management.

The directory shows NFM evidence has grown in recent years, building our confidence in the flood risk and wider benefits these approaches can bring.   It provides a new evidence baseline for NFM, helping to inform future investment decisions and support the selection of measures on the ground.

These benefits vary across measures and help us understand what works best and where. There is still more to learn about NFM, but the research gaps are closing and are becoming more detail orientated. 

Among the findings, the evidence is telling us that:

catchment woodlands can reduce the height of flood water, with the greatest reductions during smaller events

there is growing research that soil and land management can help with flood resilience, especially in grasslands

for some NFM measures, the wider benefits are even greater than the benefits to flood risk such as with floodplain or river restoration

ponds in floodplain areas can reduce flood risk by decreasing flows and storing water

run-off pathway management can reduce flood risk by storing water, and slowing the flow downstream and includes wider benefits related to water resources and biodiversity

the flood risk benefits of saltmarsh and mudflat restoration, dune management and beach nourishment is consolidating

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