Natural Flood Management – Dunthwaite Estate, River Derwent Catchment
Delivered on behalf of National Trust 

As the contractor appointed to deliver Natural Flood Management (NFM) works at Dunthwaite Estate, we were tasked with helping to reduce downstream flood risk while restoring hydrological balance to a heavily drained landscape.

The estate has an extensive network of artificial drainage channels that rapidly convey water from the surrounding slopes and soils into the River Derwent. While effective for land drainage, this system contributes to severe flood events—as seen in 2009 and 2015—by accelerating surface runoff and reducing the landscape’s ability to retain water. In turn, this results in over-dry soils, reduced biodiversity, and diminished resilience for both wildlife and livestock.

Our works focused on reversing this impact by implementing a suite of NFM measures, including:

• Blocking artificial ditches to restore natural hydrology

• Creating natural storage features such as scrapes and ponds

• Enhancing habitat diversity and improving soil moisture retention

A key outcome of the project was the creation of approximately 10,000 cubic metres of seasonal water storage, equivalent to four Olympic-sized swimming pools. These new features are helping to slow the flow of water into the River Derwent, reduce peak flows during heavy rain, and re-establish wetland habitats that support a wide range of flora and fauna.

This project demonstrates how practical, low-intervention NFM techniques can play a critical role in flood mitigation, habitat restoration, and landscape resilience.