Opportunities, validation, and engagement: Application of Geospatial Technology and Realtime Sensors to Enhance Natural Flood Management

The Upper Severn catchment on the border of England and Wales has been subject to regular floods over the past two decades with severe events recorded in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Coupled with updated climate change projections, these events have heightened the urgency of flood risk management among strategic and policy stakeholders. In this context, Natural Flood Management (NFM) has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate downstream flood impacts. Unlike conventional flood defences, which are usually centrally instigated and maintained, natural flood management requires buy-in from a wider range of stakeholders, including landowners and local communities.

Despite the potential benefits of NFM approaches, there are still some significant challenges to widespread implementation. Approaches to identifying opportunities are generally limited to traditional ground surveys, which typically require landowner buy-in from the outset, or large-scale opportunity mapping drawing on relatively coarse datasets. Furthermore, while pilot projects have demonstrated initial success, empirical evidence on the long-term effectiveness of NFM remains limited. This lack of robust data constrains stakeholder confidence and hinders broader adoption.

This paper will outline a demonstrator project, currently being delivered as part of the Environment Agency-funded Severn Valley Water Management Scheme in Shropshire, UK, which is investigating the potential of high-resolution satellite imagery, drone-based LiDAR survey, and real-time sensor data to improve the quantification of the impacts of NFM measures as well as high-resolution mapping of future opportunities. In parallel, the study examines strategies for effective stakeholder engagement, focusing on optimizing data visualization and communication to support informed decision-making and community participation. By combining advanced geospatial technologies with participatory approaches, the project aims to strengthen evidence-based implementation of NFM and contribute to resilient flood management in the Upper Severn catchment.

Keywords: Natural Flood Management (NFM), High-Resolution Remote Sensing, Drone-Based LiDAR, Stakeholder Engagement, Flood Resilience, Opportunity Mapping