Flood and drought risks need to be considered together for effective water management

This article was originally published in the October 2025 issue of the UK Water Report.

Water management in the UK has typically focused on flood prevention, whether that is through engineered or nature-based solutions. ADAS Sustainable Agricultural Systems Managing Director Lucy Wilson explains that the need for drought resilience is growing and a new approach that considers broader water needs at a catchment scale is required.

In recent years, the UK has seen weather records shattered. Beyond having the driest spring on record after months of wet weather, we have also seen simultaneous flood warnings for the south and declarations of drought in the north. These types of extremes are predicted to increase with climate change.

To tackle these challenges, we need to move away from traditional thinking of single interventions and start considering water management in its entirety across a whole catchment, considering all the activities and land uses that affect water quality and quantity within the natural boundaries of a river catchment. This more holistic method encourages collaboration among various stakeholders, including local authorities, water companies, non-governmental organisations and communities, to develop solutions that address issues such as flooding and drought.

Drought can be a precursor to flash flooding, as dry, compact soil cannot absorb the sudden deluge and, heavy with run-off, the rivers burst their banks. Equally, flood prevention that focuses on removing the water from an area can waste water that might otherwise stay within the catchment and be used in times of drought.

Planting trees is often considered the best approach for habitat restoration and flood protection; however, while trees improve water infiltration and groundwater recharge, their water consumption can reduce water availability downstream – potentially to the detriment of agriculture and food production within a catchment.

A collaborative approach among local government, water companies, farmers, landowners, community groups, residents and others within the catchment area is needed. There is a framework introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2013 to create catchment-based approach partnerships; however, these lack any statutory powers, and individual stakeholders will generally focus on the single issue (e.g., drought or flood) that is most pressing for them. This can lead to conflicts between stakeholders, making it hard to enforce or coordinate actions.

Changing the approach can help align policies and plans across the sectors. It will require system-level thinking of how water travels, is collected and stored and is lost throughout a catchment area. With this approach, we can identify where risks and opportunities overlap and put in place interventions that offer value for all stakeholders.

These interventions might include land use changes on hillslopes to hold water and slow down flow, protecting against run-off and holding water, or reintroducing beavers to create natural reservoirs that protect floodplains but also hold water that can be used in a drought.

Our recent work developing a decision support tool for land use change indicated that wood pasture, with a mix of trees and grassland, can reduce the severity of flooding without exacerbating drought. This type of land is also good for grazing animals, so it is a promising option when working with local farmers to utilise their land in a way that is beneficial for both water management and food production.

New digital tools that model water across catchments can help decision-makers compare interventions based on economic cost benefits and can be very helpful in explaining to stakeholders how actions will affect them. Machine learning and AI are being integrated into tools to monitor flood and drought risk in real time, as well as river flow, making it easier to see what effects an intervention will have on the catchment under various amounts of rain, effectively modelling how an approach will fare under flood or drought conditions.

Funding for these large, catchment-level approaches will need an innovative approach. There is scope for more nature-based solutions in water management, particularly for more wetland creation. These boost nature recovery and biodiversity and could be used to bring in additional funding through biodiversity credits, for example. This lowers the burden on traditional funding sources such as from the government or water companies.

If we look at the River Severn, we can see this approach is being put into action. The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme is a project to reduce flood risk in the upper Severn through innovative and nature-positive interventions specifically to counter flooding and drought risk in tandem. It aims for highly collaborative governance and stakeholder engagement.

To deliver benefits to all parties, the scheme is focused on inclusive planning and continuous engagement. For example, farmers need to maintain productivity so must trust that interventions won’t harm their business. On-farm trials are conducted with farmers involved in the design stages, and results are demonstrated first-hand on agricultural land. Financial incentives through Environmental Land Management and private funding streams are also offered.

Demonstrator projects, such as river and stream rewilding and de-pave projects in urban areas, have started with community engagement. De-pave projects have identified areas where rainwater can be managed more effectively through rain gardens, tree pits and green roofs, which brings residents’ voices to the forefront.

While the scheme is in a relatively early stage, it offers hope for how a catchment-based approach can work well. Changes to Ofwat and other water regulators have been announced, and it is vital for us to embed both drought and flooding resilience in the future of our water management. The key is to start with a recognition that water must be managed as a valuable resource across the entire catchment.

Lucy Wilson leads the Sustainable Agricultural Systems business in ADAS and is on the steering group for ADAS Natural Solutions. She is a biologist with specialism in ecology and environmental management and has many years of research and consultancy experience using spatial data to develop tools and models that benefit both farming and the rural environment.