This guide has been produced from work carried out as part of the Belford Catchment Solutions Project – a partnership project between the Environment Agency, Newcastle University and Local Landowners.

Agricultural drainage and land management techniques play a key role in the contribution to the speed and size of flood events as runoff from the land is hugely influenced by farming practices in the catchment.

This research has proven that flow intervention structures, both in the watercourse and on the surrounding farmland, can have a significant impact on the flood levels downstream by slowing and storing floodwater.

At the same time, Newcastle University were able to demonstrate the beneficial impact such features have on water quality, leading to an understanding of the multiple benefits that changes in land use and construction of small interventions can have.