StARR Green Spaces - how you can help to prevent flooding in your community
The StARR project is delivering a wide range of schemes to help reduce the risk of flooding across the Par River catchment.
As part of this we are using Natural Flood Management (NFM) to increase a community's flood resilience by working with natural and habitats processes, rather than against them. The NFM approach assesses a river catchment from source to sea and intervenes at various stages in order to slow the flow of water, improve drainage and better manage its course as it flows through built up areas. Compared to more engineered flood structures NFM also has additional benefits such as reducing pollution, storing carbon and providing important homes for our wildlife.
The community of Par and St Blazey could add even more benefit to the area by identifying places where additional NFM measures could be established.
Do you know of sites where the river and rain water could be slowed? or where you or your community could:
- collect rainwater from the roof of a building using a water butt
- create rain gardens to reduce the amount of roof water directly entering the river or sewer
- plant trees to increase water going into the soil
- build Cornish hedges to slow the pathway to the river
- create ditches or ponds to hold water back temporarily
- improve your soils so less water runs off the surface.
If you are landowner with an area of land in the Par River catchment from St Blazey to the A30 near Bodmin and everything in between, and would you like advice and/or support on how to slow flows so that we are more prepared for climate change, please share your ideas with us below, or contact us at starr@cornwall.gov.uk
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St Austell Resilient Regeneration is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund
Photos and inspiration
Videos
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Hear about a new approach to river management to help manage flooding, improve the environment and create wildlife habitat
Credit: Sauvons l'eau and the Environment Agency
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An animated video showing how Sustainable Drainage Solutions (SuDS) can help manage water
Credit: susdrain
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Have Your Say on water management in the Environment Agency's Challenges and Choices consultation: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/environment-and-business/challenges-and-choices/
Credit: Environment Agency TV
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A film about flooding, the High Water Common Ground project and what we can all do
Credit: High Water Film
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Hear how a pilot project uses natural flood management features across 100km2 area of Weardale to reduce the risk of flooding to 141 properties and create a haven for wildlife to thrive.
Credit: Environment Agency TV
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Hear how the London Wildlife Trust and the Living Wandle Landscape Partnership are engaging communities in managing rain water and creating wildlife habitat.
Credit: London Wildlife Trust
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Ideas for harvesting rain water and creating a more diverse space and wildlife habitat - slow it, spread it, sink it
Credit: SustainableWorld