Linking Rivers to Floodplains and Green Spaces

Overview

Healthy rivers don’t exist in isolation. They are connected to their floodplains, wetlands and surrounding habitats — forming a natural, “leaky” landscape that allows water to spread and wildlife to move freely through the catchment. 

Over time, many rivers have been straightened, deepened or confined within concrete or sheet-piled channels. This disconnects them from their floodplains and limits their natural ability to store water and support life. By restoring these connections, we help rivers function more naturally — slowing the flow of water, reducing flood risk, and creating healthier, better-connected habitats for wildlife and people.

Why this work matters

Linking rivers back to their floodplains and surrounding green spaces is a key part of natural flood management. 

By restoring these connections, we can: 

• Reduce flood risk by allowing water to spread and be stored safely during high flows  

• Slow the movement of water through the catchment, lowering peak river levels  

• Store water naturally in wetlands and floodplains, helping protect downstream communities  

• Replenish groundwater (aquifers) by allowing water to soak into the ground and gradually feed underground stores — supporting springs, maintaining river flows, and building more resilient water supplies  

• Improve water quality by filtering pollutants and trapping sediment  

• Create space for wildlife, supporting diverse habitats and species  

• Build resilience to climate change, including both floods and droughts  

This approach works best when delivered across whole catchments, combining multiple nature-based solutions to make a meaningful difference. 

How we reconnect rivers and floodplains

We use a range of proven, evidence-led techniques to restore natural processes, including: 

Re-meandering rivers

Recreating natural bends helps slow water flow and reconnect rivers with their floodplains. 

Removing or setting back embankments

Allowing rivers to spill into floodplains  via a controlled manner during high flows increases natural water storage.

Creating wetlands, wet woodlands and wet grasslands

These areas hold water during storms and release it slowly over time. 

Restoring natural river features

Adding gravel, woody material and varied habitats supports both biodiversity and natural flow processes. 

Connecting rivers to green spaces

Urban parks, floodplain meadows and community spaces can all play a role in storing water and supporting nature. 

What the evidence tells us

Research shows that reconnecting rivers with their floodplains can: 

• Delay and reduce flood peaks, especially during smaller, more frequent flood events

• Store significant volumes of water across floodplains and wetlands

• Support biodiversity and habitat recovery at scale

• Deliver multiple benefits at once, from climate regulation to improved river health  

While outcomes can vary depending on location and scale, the strongest results come from combining actions across the wider catchment. 

Working together across the catchment

This work relies on collaboration. 

We partner with: 

• Landowners and farmers 

• Local communities 

• Businesses and developers 

• Local authorities and environmental organisations 

Together, we create space for water where it can do the most good — reducing risk, restoring nature, and improving places for people. 

Creating healthier rivers for the future

Reconnecting rivers to floodplains and green spaces is about working with nature, not against it. 

By restoring natural processes, we can: 

• Protect communities from flooding 

• Support wildlife and biodiversity 

• Improve water quality 

• Restore water resources, creating resilience to drought 

• Create greener, more resilient landscapes 

This is how we build rivers that are healthier, more connected, and better able to support both people and nature.