East Midlands urged to check flood risk despite drought
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-15)

As part of Flood Action Week, the East Midlands is urged to plan ahead this autumn to reduce the impact flooding may have on their homes and businesses.

Flood Action Week launches, promoting simple steps people can take to reduce the devastation caused by floods to their homes and businesses.

Communities in the East Midlands warned not to be complacent about flood risk, despite continuing drought conditions in the region.

Work led by Environment Agency in the region to manage flood risk includes work on a major flood scheme in Lowdham, natural flood management solutions, and roll-out of property flood resilience measures.

As part of Flood Action Week (13-19 October), communities across the East Midlands are being urged to plan ahead this autumn to reduce the impact flooding may have on their homes and businesses.

In the East Midlands, more than 129,000 properties are at risk of flooding. Communities are warned not to be complacent about the risk, despite continuing drought conditions in the region.

The dry conditions of recent months mean that the ground is hard and compacted, increasing the risk of localised surface water flooding.

What you can do to protect yourself from flooding

Members of the public can:
- check their long-term flood risk (https://www.gov.uk/check-long-term-flood-risk) using the Environment Agency’s free service
- Sign up for flood warnings (https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings) by phone, text or email
- Take steps to protect themselves from future flooding (https://www.gov.uk/prepare-for-flooding?utm_campaign=faw25&utm_medium=social_organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=midlands), including preparing a flood kit.
What the Environment Agency and others are doing

Work led by Environment Agency and its partners in the East Midlands to manage flood risk includes:
- major flood scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/work-begins-on-a-major-flood-scheme-in-lowdham-nottinghamshire) in Lowdham due to be complete (https://engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com/lowdham-cocker-beck-flood-storage-reservoir) in 2026
- natural flood management (NFM) solutions, which are often used in rural areas
- roll-out of property flood resilience (PFR) measures.
NFM uses natural processes to reduce the risk of flooding. These processes protect, restore, and mimic the natural functions of catchments, floodplains and the coast to slow and store water. Recent examples include leaking barriers in Nottinghamshire, Peatland restoration in Derbyshire and wetlands in Leicestershire.

PFR is a set of modifications added to a building to lower its flood risk. It can reduce flood damage and speed up recovery after a flood. The Environment Agency is supporting roll-out of PFR in the highest flood risk communities in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

David Turnbull, area flood and coastal risk manager for the Environment Agency in the East Midlands, said:

We know the devastating impact that flooding can have, which is why protecting people and communities is our top priority.

We are working to reduce flood risk by using Property Flood Resilience, Natural Flood Management and schemes like the Lowdham Cocker Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme.

We urge members of the public to check their flood risk, sign up for flood warnings and to follow the advice to protect themselves from future flooding.

Property flood resilience

A hundred homes across 7 of the highest flood risk communities in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire will be fitted with a mix of property flood resilience measures.

Forty-nine properties in Bakewell and Bullbridge were fitted with flood resilience measures in 2024 with a further 32 expected to be complete by the end of 2025.

Natural flood management in Nottinghamshire

In Nottinghamshire the Environment Agency is working with Nottinghamshire County Council to deliver a natural flood management project upstream of Ompton.

Seven leaky barriers, 7 dams, 2 ponds and 3 bunds have been installed, which help to slow the flow and improves flood resilience and water quality. The next step is to install a 0.8 hectare wetland.

Additionally, the Environment Agency are also working in partnership with Notts Wildlife Trust, Notts County Council and Nottingham Trent University, to deliver NFM across the Ryton catchment to help mitigate flooding to Worksop and Shireoaks.

A range of features will be implemented, including ponds, bunds, leaky barriers, wetland habitat, tree planting, and the restoration of floodplain connections to help slow and store water in the catchment upstream of the River Ryton.

Natural flood management in Derbyshire

In Derbyshire the Environment Agency is helping to fund the Combs Moss Peatland Restoration Project near Buxton in the Peak District. It is led by the Moors For The Future Partnership, one of the aims is to slow the flow of the water that comes off the moor.

Restoration works will increase the storage and retention of water on Combs Moss Plateau. This will slow the flow of water that comes off the moors, by creating conditions to hold water on the moorland for longer. This will help reduce flood risk for the town of Buxton.

The scheme has a number of benefits, read more on its website (https://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/).

Natural flood management in Leicestershire

In Leicestershire the Environment Agency is installing natural flood management measures at Brooksby College. This will include scrapes, wetlands, bank reprofiling and treeplanting to help slow the flow during storm events and reduce flood risk in downstream communities in the Wreake and Soar.

Leaky barriers, wetlands, ponds and tree planting have also been installed in Charnwood to slow the flow during storm events and reduce flood risk upstream of Loughborough.

Background
- The Environment Agency knows the devastating impact that flooding can have and is working closely with government to deliver £2.65 billion of investment by March 2026 and a further £4.2 billion for 2026-2029 to scale up national resilience through building new and improving existing flood defences.
- The East Midlands has been in drought status since July of this year. The region remains in drought, despite the recent wet weather. Droughts can happen at the same time as flooding. While droughts are caused by a shortage of available water due to low rainfall over a period of time, floods can happen with intense rainfall within a short time frame. As we head into autumn, the Environment Agency is ready to respond to both ongoing drought conditions through its drought plans and any flooding incidents.