Eddleston Water Project Report 2016

The Eddleston Water project addresses the potential contribution that natural flood management can make to alleviate increasing concerns with flooding and habitat degradation. From an initial scoping study in 2009, it has developed in to a long-term national research project funded by the Scottish Government. To date, it has worked with 20 farmers to re-meander over 2 km of river, planted some 200,000 native trees, created 22 ponds, 101 log structures and is on track to restore the river from Bad to Good Ecological Status. With the award of an EU Interreg grant in 2016, it has core support for further work up to 2020, and the potential to attract further research funding from other sources. This report summarises the work completed to date and initial results.

The project has three main objectives:

1. To investigate the potential to reduce the risk of flooding to downstream communities through the utilisation of natural flood risk management (NFM) measures;
2. To improve habitats for wildlife and fish, and raise the ecological status of the river; and
3. To work with landowners and farmers in the local community to maximise the benefits of the work, whilst sustaining farming livelihoods and practices.

In seeking to deliver these objectives, the project aims to generate robust evidence of the impact, cost and benefits of working with natural processes at a catchment scale. The project took an empirical approach from the outset, based on detailed data collection, measurement and monitoring, rather than relying solely on models.