]> 2026-04-10T22:21:15+00:00 Case study:Stroud Rural Sustainable Drainage Project 500 en A film of the project Approved Introducing large woody debris Stroud District Council Environment Agency Community Groups private landowners Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Gloucestershire County Council National Trust Forestry Commission Natural England Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Severn Rivers Trust Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) Great Britain Regional flood and coastal committee Yes No Yes false No Stroud District Council We have learned a number of lessons: 1. Importance of Bottom up approach and community support for Natural Flood Management. It is impossible to undertake this work on the scale needed to make a difference to both natural processes or flood risk if widespread community support is not given. 2. We think it is important to start work quickly to create momentum and inspire communities that the approach is feasible rather than theoretical. 3. Even small interventions can make a difference quickly in a degraded stream system, creating habitat complexity, refugia, and allowing light into a heavily shaded area. 4. Use local contractors to increase buy-in and capacity for undertaking works. 5. Start at the most upstream location feasible and work your way downstream. Working on smaller water courses has less risk and less requirement for modelling and feasibility work. 51.745734,-2.217758 Stroud RSuDS Chris Stroud District Council Uttley Fencing More natural water retention Reduce diffuse water pollution and over-grazing Introducing large woody debris,,Creation of natural floodwater dynamics, Increase water retention area,, ,Fencing, More natural water retention, Reduce diffuse water pollution and over-grazing,,Community involvement,, None to date Chris Uttley 22099 Stroud District Council, Environment Agency, Community Groups, private landowners, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Gloucestershire County Council, National Trust, Forestry Commission, Natural England, Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Severn Rivers Trust, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) Large woody debris in Painswick stream - Beech tree trunk to attenuate flows and create diverse in-stream habitat Cranham Woods1.jpg 2014-04-28Z 2456775.5 In progress In 2012, the Environment Agency commissioned a report into the feasibility and potential benefits of implementing Natural Flood Management (also called Rural Sustainable Drainage) (RSuDS) throughout the catchment of the Stroud Frome and associated tributaries. Acting on the findings of the study, the Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) agreed to fund a project officer to implement and promote rural sustainable drainage and natural flood management in the whole catchment, which covers approx. 235km2. A formal partnership between Gloucestershire County Council, The Environment Agency, the RFCC and Stroud District Council was established to implement the work, and under a collaborative agreement, Stroud District Council agreed to employ the project officer for three years. The project is working with a large number of private and third sector land owners to implement a wide variety of techniques to slow flood flows, reduce erosion of soils, and restore in-stream and flood plain natural processes. We are creating a large number of leaky woody debris structures located in a variety of settings to catalyse in-stream habitat restoration, slow down the transport of silt and sediment, raise bed levels in deeply incised channels, create diverse habitats, attenuate higher flows and force flows out of channel. In addition, we are working with woodland and agricultural land owners to put in place measures to reduce soil erosion, store overland flows and increase infiltration. We are working in small streams, spring flows and drainage gulleys to intervene at the very top of the catchment, with a view to working our way downstream and allowing downstream areas a better chance to restore themselves. We predominantly work on Ordinary Water Courses where impacts such as dredging, channelisation and diffuse pollution are acute. As work progresses, we are finding and recording previously un-recorded habitat features of international importance, including Alkaline tufa petrifying spring habitats in both woodland and grassland context. To implement the approach and achieve real reductions in flood risk and improvements to habitat we are working in full partnership with communities, flood actions groups, partners, land managers and farmers. We involve members of Flood Action Groups in determining priorities for future work. Stroud Rural Sustainable Drainage Project stroud rural sustainable drainage project http://www.therrc.co.uk/sites/default/files/projects/13_stroudfrome.pdf Yes 6000 Severn Vale Severn Creation of natural floodwater dynamics Increase water retention area Slad Bk - source to conf Painswick Str slad bk - source to conf painswick str Community involvement 10 - 100 km² 266 200 - 500 m Slad Bk - source to conf Painswick Str GB109054032440 Revenue project funding is provided by the Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. Capital funding is supplied by Gloucestershire County Council, the Environment Agency and Stroud District Council. Flood risk management Habitat and biodiversity Hydromorphology Land use management - agriculture Land use management - forestry Social benefits more than 10000 k€ Chris Uttley more than 10000 k€ Stroud District Council 2014-11-17Z 2456978.5 2016-02-09T11:11:29Z 2457427.9663079 2018-11-01T14:54:36Z 2458424.12125 Stroud Rural Sustainable Drainage Project 500 1 plainlist 5 [[Category:Case study]] [[Project title::!Stroud Rural Sustainable Drainage Project]] [[Subcatchment title::Slad Bk - source to conf Painswick Str]] Stroud Rural Sustainable Drainage Project# QUERY64ee28111075306a4c96180ef90c3a56