UK rivers are in hot water.

Just like many global freshwater systems, they’re battling a tide of challenges, and UK homes, farms, and businesses are in trouble. But there’s hope! We know nature is a force we can harness for the better, if only we work alongside it.  Restoring rivers to their natural functions could be the answer. Functioning floodplains and wiggly streams may be our greatest weapon against flood damage and biodiversity loss. Restoration means more wildlife, less flooding, and stronger defenses against erosion and extreme weather. It’s a ripple effect of benefits – helping us face climate change and urban sprawl head-on. Adur River Recovery is wading into the heart of river restoration. So, what does this look like?

Just 15% of English Rivers are in ‘Good Overall’ ecological health.

A crisis in every current

First, we must ask – what do we need to restore? Time has blinded us to the catastrophic changes our rivers have endured over the past two centuries.  In many cases we don’t know what we are missing. Canalization, dredging, intense development, and more, have altered not just the appearance of our rivers, but their functions too. River degradation is a many-headed beast. Everything from inter-continental climate change to the microscopic assassins of plastic pollution will shape the future of our rivers. We must act now. Untangling the web of pressures can be complicated, but the consequences are all too obvious.

Flood smarter, not harder

River erosion and associated impacts exacerbate flood damage by £336 million a year.

Flooding is here to stay, and unfortunately – get worse. Rainfall has been steadily increasing, and the UK is now 10% wetter than 30 years ago. Yet, the increasing population will oversee the development of thousands more houses, properties and businesses on flood-prone land. This means the 5.2 million homes in England currently at risk of flooding will only increase in the coming years.

To protect our homes, farms, and businesses from flooding the answer could be…well, flooding! This might sound confusing, but flooding is a natural and ecologically important event. In the right place, it can help us cope with our changing climate and intensifying development. In fact, there are crucial areas of land that have evolved, adapted and become perfectly equipped to deal with periodic influxes of intense volumes of water. You guessed it – floodplains!

Floodplains are an integral organ in the dynamic, ‘breathing’ structure of our living rivers. Think of a floodplain as a pair of lungs, and the water as air expanding into them. Essential, flexible, and susceptible to serious damage.

These natural, permeable systems exist to absorb and retain large volumes of water that spill out from rivers. They also mitigate drought, store carbon, prevent erosion, provide habitat, increase biodiversity and filter pollutants.

Floodplains cover 0.5–1% of global land area but could account for 0.5–8% of soluble organic carbon storage worldwide.

But here’s the catch: 90% of English floodplains no longer function properly. Agricultural modifications and urban development have taken their toll. To protect homes and farmland, we need to rethink how we manage development and agriculture near rivers. Restoring natural floodplains and encouraging water storage in the right places can reduce flooding in the wrong ones. It’s time to let nature help us tackle the flooding crisis.

‘Slowly does it’

If the finish line is river restoration – slow and steady most definitely wins the race. Restoring floodplains is just one part of the puzzle – we want wiggles too!

Canalization (or ‘channelisation’) is essentially the straightening of rivers and has historically been used to increase the flow of water, for transport, trade and drainage. This severs the connection between rivers and their floodplains, often with constructed embankments. Straightening rivers and moving water away from land as quickly as possible can temporarily prevent flooding. However, it also pushes water downstream faster — and, you guessed it, creates flooding elsewhere.

In the last 50 years, 8500 kilometres of the UKs’ main rivers have been subjected to major channelisation.

To make matters worse, fast-flowing water increases erosion, which creates even more scope for flooding downstream, and reduces the quality of water (read our blog to find out how sediment from rivers affects kelp restoration). Furthermore, canalization can eradicate the beautiful meanders we so often think of when picturing a scenic riverscape. When it comes to rivers, taking the scenic route is the best way forward.

Restoration at work

Encouragingly, there are already hosts of examples of sustainable river restoration practices in the UK. The Adur is no exception. The Adur River Recovery project is overseeing restoration activities across the river, working collaboratively with over 25 land managers.

At the Knepp estate in Horsham, the Adur got some much-needed TLC. 1.5 miles of drainage canals were filled in, and 4 weirs were removed to get the restoration process flowing. This has reconnected 3.5 miles of restored floodplains upstream.

Additionally, woody debris has been introduced to the river, waterways reconnected, and scrapes excavated. All this restores the flow of the river and creates ample opportunity for water storage. Although this sounds like a lot of work initially, once nature takes the lead the positive effects are there to stay.

Elsewhere, The Upper Axe Landscape Recovery Project in Somerset is a brilliant example of how nature and agriculture can work together for mutual benefit. Farmers have adopted methods like minimum tillage, undersowing crops, and planting herbal leys.

Minimum tillage protects soil structure, undersowing prevents erosion, and herbal leys retain water and boost soil health. These practices reduce runoff, restore biodiversity, and lay the groundwork for sustainable farming.

As with the Adur River Recovery project, farmers are key players – combining their deep understanding of the land with innovative techniques. The project even taps into a circular economy by repurposing hedgerow waste to create leaky dams, helping aquatic life and flood management. It’s clear: productive farming and healthy rivers can go hand in hand!

A solution for every stream

There’s more than one way to restore a river. For example, leaky dams, made from wood, straw bales, and brash (felled trees), are placed strategically in rivers to slow water without fully blocking the flow. These eco-friendly solutions cost a fraction of traditional flood defences. Across the UK, a mix of tools and techniques are being used to bring rivers back to life. In the end, freshwater can be both precious and powerfully destructive, so every restoration effort must be tailored to its unique context. Factors like geography, elevation, population, industry, culture, ecology, and economy all shape the best approach. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Rivers reborn

Rivers should be our greatest allies and most treasured resource. They’re not just ecosystems, but vital sources of life and livelihoods. Revitalizing UK rivers will take more than just a village—it will require collaboration, communication, and innovation. With groundbreaking technologies like predictive modeling and sustainable agricultural techniques, such as buffer zones and cover cropping, we are on the verge of a current of change. In the end, we all stand to benefit from natural flood defences, improved water quality, sustainable farming, and thriving biodiversity. Let the rivers lead the way!

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