riverdee
CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN
FD 4. FLOW EXTREMES
BACKGROUND
High river levels cause flood damage to property,
leaving behind deposits of flood debris to be cleared
up. Low river levels affect the ecological condition of
the river. Water temperatures rise unusually high in
summer; static pools stagnate; fish migration is
inhibited. May also affect the distribution of mussels
with some marginal sites becoming unviable as they
become exposed more regularly Water abstraction is
permitted regardless of low river levels. Spate flows
cause scour this can damage the river banks, and
river bed disrupting salmon redds and mussel beds,
affecting river banks, groynes, bridges and other river
infrastructure. Low flows reduce oxygenation and
allow debris to accumulate. Thus, extremes of flow
are potentially damaging. Climate change predictions
indicate that North East Scotland will experience less
snow but more rainfall and increased storminess in
the future leading to more extremes of flow, more
regularly.
ISSUES
Societal and industrial change and the demand for
greater agricultural production have increased the
catchment drainage requirement and reduced the
capacity of natural flood plain storage. Improvements
to land drainage and river canalization have increased
the speed of flow. Peak flows downstream have
thereby been increased. Property is now at risk from
fluvial flooding. Infrastructure is at risk from scour
damage. River ecology is at risk from low flows.
Extremes of flow appear to be more likely in the
future.
CURRENT ACTIONS
A demonstration scheme to re-introduce flood plain
storage has been carried out. Schemes to re-create
flood plain storage are being designed.
SUGGESTED ACTIONS
Implement schemes to create flood plain storage.
Implement schemes to attenuate surface water run-off
before entering the watercourse. Implement schemes
to re-create wetlands. Relate the rate of water
abstraction to river flow. (See also AB1)
CONTRIBUTING SECTORS
SUGGESTED PARTNER ORGANISATIONS
Aberdeenshire Council, SNH, Scottish Water, Land
Owners, FCS, SEPA, SERAD.
LEGISLATION
Action
Existing/
New Legislation
4.1
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
4.2
4.3
4.4.
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
Seek to get a duty to
co-operate established
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
FP Act 1961
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
FP Act 1961
Forestry Act
T&CP (Sc) Act 1997
NPPG7
SPPG7
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
4.9
4.10
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
4.11
4.12
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.16
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
FP&LD (Sc) Act 1997
WEWS?
BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES
LINKS TO OTHER PLANS
FLOODING AND DRAINAGE
106739660 13/02/2016 5:43 AM Page 1 of 3
MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVE FD 4.
Seek to manage extremes of flow within the catchment by ameliorating run-off and providing storage
within the catchment.
ACTION
NUMBER
FD 4.1
ACTIONS
PARTNERS
Minimise the risk of flooding.
DELETE?
LA
FCS
SEERAD
Land Owners
Tarland Initiative, LA Flood Prevention Scheme for Tarland Burn
Use Tarland Burn as a demonstration project
FD 4.2
Identify and remedy poorly designed hill tracks
LA
Land Owners
SNH
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FD4.3
Introduce ponding and controlled flooding to reduce runoff rates
and prevent serious flood problems.
LA
SEPA
SNH
SEERAD
Undertake a programme of talks to Community Councils etc
Produce & circulate explanatory pamphlets
Put articles in the P&J etc
Develop an incentive scheme
FD4.4
Take a holistic approach in collaboration with other agencies and
stakeholders to achieve optimum solutions.
LA / CNPA
SEPA
SNH
DDSFB
SW
All agencies to sign a partnership agreement to collaborate
FD4.5
Initiate demonstration projects
LA
SEPA
SNH
SW
FC
Land Owners
Tarland Burn Initiative, Tarland Burn FP Scheme
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FD4.6
Identify areas within the functional flood plain which with the
agreement of land owners and users could be managed to receive
and retain flood water temporarily
LA
Land Owners
SNH
FC
FD4.7
DP8?
Ensure proposed land use changes such as further afforestation,
moorland drainage, agricultural and urban development are
assessed for their potential impact on surface and groundwater
resources and do not result in more rapid run-off into the receiving
watercourse or reduce the storage capacity of the functional flood
plain.
Competent authority
FCS (forestry)
SEERAD (agricultural)
LA (urban)
Landowners
Persuade lead agencies to adopt this policy at a high priority level
FD4.8
DP8?
Change forest management practices to avoid clear felling adjacent
to watercourses, thereby retaining a buffer against soil erosion and
sedimentation of water courses.
FCS
Land Owners
LA
FLOODING AND DRAINAGE
106739660 13/02/2016 5:43 AM Page 2 of 3
ACTION
NUMBER
ACTIONS
PARTNERS
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FD4.9
Restore drained wetlands within forest areas as contribution to
open space provision and to reduce water runoff
FCS
SNH
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FCS Water Guidelines
FD4.10
Create retention/attenuation strips by contour planting of tree belts
at the base of hillsides
FCS
Land Owners
SEERAD
LA
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FD4.11
Assess field & forest drains in catchment for contribution to water
runoff
Reword
FD4.12
Retrofit drainage networks on new planting and restructuring
schemes to comply with current FCS water guidelines
FCS
Landowners
SEERAD
FCS
SEPA
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FCS Water Guidelines
FD4.13
Adopt contour ploughing generally in agricultural operations to
reduce runoff and soil erosion. Limited to slopes < 1 in 5 ( 11° )
SEERAD
Land Owners
LA
Initiate demonstration projects
FD4.14
Create filter strips by leaving untouched buffer strips and contourploughed uncropped strips within field margins adjacent to
watercourses. Limited to slopes < 1 in 5 ( 11° )
SEERAD
Land Owners
SNH
LA
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FD4.15
Restore natural storage capacity of agricultural wetlands and
peatlands by blocking or restoring artificial drainage where
appropriate
SEERAD
Land Owners
SNH
LA
Seek SE (or other) funding to facilitate
FD4.16
Retain water in upland catchments by promoting good muir burn &
hill grazing practice
SEERAD / SNH
Land Owners
Liaise with CEH
SNH muirburn code
FURTHER INFORMATION
FLOODING AND DRAINAGE
106739660 13/02/2016 5:43 AM Page 3 of 3