F13 -Peakflowcontrol structures inmanagedforests
E
cosystem
servicesdelivered
Provisioning
Regulation & maintenance
Cultural
Abiotic
C
ontribution
topolicyobjectives
Water Framework Directive
Floods Directive
Birds & Habitats Directive
2020 Biodiversity Strategy
P
otential
biophysicaleffects
Runoff
Reducing pollution
Soil conservation
Habitat
Climate Change
High
Low
Medium
None
Peak flow control structures have the potential to reduce
erosion
occurring in headwater areas and impacting downstream areas. They address WFD objectives through reducing
the hydromorphological degradation (extensive gully formation) caused by the loss of capacity to mitigate run-off upstream. Capturing eroded soils is very effective at removing
sediment bound
pollutants
. The prevention of sediment loss can contribute to the preservation of fish stocks and to maintaining spawning sites, albeit some structures can
prevent fishes from passing. The size of peak flow control structures can be important; a row of smaller structures is likely to have greater benefits to habitat diversity.
Slowing down flood peaks has the potential to reduce downstream
flood risk
, although this effect will only be realised at the catchment scale if the measure is implemented
on a wider scale.
