Keeping Our Rivers Flowing Summit 2022

A partnership of four leading water and land management organisations are holding a national summit in May to highlight the importance of managing rivers and their catchments throughout England.

The Keeping Our Rivers Flowing Summit 2022 will be hosted by ADA, CLA, Environment Agency, and National Farmers’ Union (NFU), on Thursday 12 May 2022 at NAEC Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The Summit is sponsored by Aquatic Control Engineering. Experts in water flow management and flood defence systems.

The UK and Europe have experienced an increasing frequency and intensity of flooding from our rivers in recent years, sometimes with devastating effects upon the environment, local communities and economies. This summit seeks to increase awareness of not only the challenges that many rivers face, but also the practical steps that are being taken to maintain and enhance the capacity of our rivers and their catchments in coping with flood flows.

Integrating river and landscape is the theme of this year’s summit. With environmental land management sitting at the heart of future agricultural reform in England, the Summit will look at how flood storage and natural flood management can combine with the maintenance of our rivers to reduce the risk of flooding.

At the Summit we hope to hear from Defra about how the Government’s new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes can contribute to enhancing our rivers and streams to reduce the risk of flooding, and from practitioners presenting evidence on how flood water can be effectively stored within the landscape and conveyed by our rivers.

ADA Chairperson, Robert Caudwell, said: “In the UK we need a range of targeted measures within our river catchments to address the impacts of flooding. This Summit offers an opportunity to bring farmers, land managers and flood management experts together to think about how land management can complement efforts to reduce the risk of flooding from our rivers. I am looking forward to chairing a panel of leading figures to discuss those measures and the next steps needed to deliver these changes at scale.”

CLA Chief Land Use Policy Adviser, Susan Twining, said: “Collaboration between landowners, farmers and experts is essential in mitigating the risks surrounding future flooding events. Together we can help prevent the widespread damage that serious flooding incidents cause. This Summit also provides an excellent opportunity to discuss and share knowledge on how rivers and water management can play a fundamental role in the new Environmental Land Management schemes.”

Environment Agency’s Chief Engineer and Director of Asset Management & Engineering, Ian Hodge, said: “Climate change requires us all to think differently about how we plan for the future. The FCERM Strategy calls for the nation to embrace a broad range of actions to create climate resilient places. These actions include taking a catchment led approach to managing the flow of water to improve resilience to both floods and droughts. We welcome the opportunity the summit brings to discuss these challenges with partners from the water and land management sector.”

NFU Environment Forum Chair, Richard Bramley, said: “This is a timely event to discuss the opportunity that ELMs provides to help maintain a balance in agriculture between managing flood risk, producing food for the nation and safeguarding the environment.  Farming undoubtedly has a key role to play in flood management and provides a solution to flood risk. I’m looking forward to discussions about how this can be mutually agreed by design, allowing farmers and growers to plan and ensuring that compensation is paid for the public goods supplied.”

 

How to register

This face to face event is open to both members and non-members, with places available at a delegate rate of £25.

Please visit the Keeping Our Rivers Flowing Summit 2022 Eventbrite page to register a place.

ENDS

 

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Notes to Editors

ADA
ADA is the membership organisation for those involved in drainage, water level and flood risk management. Its members include Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs), the Environment Agency, Regional Flood Defence Committees, Local Authorities, Natural Resources Wales, the Northern Ireland Rivers Agency, Consultants, Contractors and Suppliers.

ADA is involved in a wide range of work for and on behalf of its members helping to exchange ideas towards solving common problems and finding new, better ways of working. ADA responds to consultations from the Government, either on behalf of members or assisting with individual member responses. It represents all interests nationally and locally in relation to drainage, water level and flood risk management, for example, in relation to legislation and public inquiries. ADA acts together with other organisations to pursue the Association’s objectives, including linking to Europe through ADA’s membership of EUWMA, the European Union of Water Management Associations.

ADA obtains and shares information on matters of importance and interest to members, and provides advice on technical and administrative problems. ADA is supported by a volunteer network of branches which bring together members for meetings at a regional level. ADA organises exhibitions and meetings for the benefit of members, maintains a website at www.ada.org.uk and publishes the quarterly ADA Gazette.

ADA is a limited company with offices based at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. ADA welcomes enquiries from the press and can be contacted during normal weekday office hours on 02476 992889 or by e-mail at admin@ada.org.uk.

For enquiries regarding the Keeping Our Rivers Flowing Summit 2022 please contact:
Heather Bailey
Marketing & Events Officer
Association of Drainage Authorities
Rural Innovation Centre, Avenue H, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LG
Office: 02476 992 889
Email: heather.bailey@ada.org.uk
Website: www.ada.org.uk

For press enquiries please contact:
Ryan Dixon
Publications & Communications Officer
Association of Drainage Authorities
Rural Innovation Centre, Avenue H, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG
Office Tel: 02476 992 889
Email: ryan.dixon@ada.org.uk

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