Introduction

The TRIPLE C partnership will reduce flooding in the participating catchment areas, by demonstrating and validating, through a series of pilot projects, how farmers can create cost-saving water retention and erosion control measures upstream.

Co-developed by networks of farmers and water managers, these will take better control of additional rainfall at the source of the issues and result in wide ranging benefits to both the farmers and local communities and other stakeholders.

Why we need these solutions

The coming decades are likely to see a higher flood risk in Europe and greater economic damage. New cost-effective solutions for improving environmental and economic resilience are needed in the region. Due to erosion and sedimentation, the buffering and discharge capacity of waterways and fields are being lost, resulting in an increased flooding risk. There is a need to implement techniques that reduce flooding by reducing water runoff and soil erosion.

Somerset and TRIPLE C

Actions in the upper catchment of Somerset’s rivers which slow the flow can have a significant impact on flood depths and duration in the lower catchment.  These actions will reduce the costs associated with pumping and from infrastructure damage and economic loss due to disruptive flood events. 40 small natural flood management features such as leaky ponds will provide a simple cost-effective method of reducing local flash flood risks in the upper catchment and reduce flood risk in the lower catchment.

In collaboration with Somerset Rivers Authority, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG SW) will undertake:

• initial landowner engagement
• identification of priority sites
• observation of overland flow pathways during heavy rainfall
• options appraisal of site-specific runoff attenuation features
• first ideas, concepts and background information to be reported
• co-ordination and learning between partners and stakeholders, to finalise the concept of a pilot which will be needed to draft a project brief and specification
• 40 new Natural Flood Management measures and up to 20 sediment and erosion control features will be implemented
• this will result in approx. 40,000m3 of runoff reduction, and 50% reduction in flood risk at local flooding ‘hotspots’ in the catchment

Interreg 2 Seas

TRIPLE C receives European funding from the Interreg – 2 Seas (www.interreg2seas.eu). This European programme aims to enhance international cooperation for purposes that require international approach, such as the effects of climate change. A particular concern of the TRIPLE C project is an emphasis on a collective approach by connecting actors to generate joint actions and technical solutions in a more cost-effective way.

We will combine scientific understanding with experience of a professional group of technical practitioners who will work directly with land managers. This approach will encourage landowners to feel they have a voice and a direct role to play.

Cross-border approach

Whilst the participating catchments have different agricultural landscapes, they share similar flooding and erosion problems, and each country has its own distinct approaches with associated strengths and weaknesses. But there is a market failure in that whilst low-cost techniques that offer multiple benefits exist, they are not widely implemented, and flooding problems are increasing. With a cross-border approach we can take the best of these differing approaches and skills and develop new hybrid approaches that improve the co-ordination between strategy and ground-based actions.

We are the lead partner and are responsible for the co-ordination between the partners.