AECOM partnered with Kent County Council to carry out a Natural Flood Management study in the Upper Darent Catchment.
The Kent Downs area, located in southeast England, is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and significant ecological importance. However, the area is prone to flooding, which has caused considerable damage to local communities and to the environment. Traditional flood management techniques, such as building dams and levees, can be expensive and can have negative impacts on the ecosystem.
AECOM partnered with Kent County Council to carry out a Natural Flood Management (NFM) study in the region. The study focused on the Upper Darent catchment and involved comprehensive multi-disciplinary reviews of environmental and engineering requirements for NFM.
Reducing flood risk while preserving ecology
Our challenge was to implement NFM techniques that would be effective in reducing flood risk while also preserving the ecological and landscape integrity of the area. We guided Kent County Council through a staged scoping and screening exercise of potential NFM opportunity areas and measures, considering a range of factors such as geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, geomorphology, landscape, flood risk, ecology, carbon emissions, archaeology, and cultural heritage.
Effective flood management and mapping
We adapted the Environment Agency's Darent and Cray hydraulic model to analyse and prioritise NFM opportunity measures. Our team ranked a broad set of opportunities using an environmental multi-criteria analysis, indicative costings, and legislative requirements. We provided detailed mapping of each potential measure, including grid references and landownership details. An image directory of what each proposed measure type might look like, and its key benefits was also developed.
Natural flood management solutions
Overall, AECOM's comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach allowed for a thorough analysis and successful implementation of NFM measures in the Upper Darent catchment. Our expertise in environmental and engineering requirements greatly contributed to the effectiveness and sustainability of the NFM solutions.