Rising waters | Rooted solutions
About Ousewem
Our project
Ousewem is a local partnership project funded by the government, working with farmers and landowners within the North Yorkshire’s Swale, Ure, Nidd and Ouse (SUNO) catchments to actively implement nature-based solutions (NbS) including natural flood management (NFM) to help manage flood risk.
Working in partnership, we'll introduce NFM, such as wetlands, forestry, or leaky dams, to help store water on the land. We design our bespoke schemes with cutting-edge modelling to guide water, environment, and land management decisions.
Why are we doing this? Flood risks are on the rise. Climate change and land management changes are knocking at our doors, and Ousewem is answering the call with resilience and determination.
Our vision
Our vision is four-fold:
- unlock flood resilience - Ousewem takes an all-encompassing view of flood resilience, harnessing the power of nature to improve the resilience of our communities from the ever-present threat of flooding. Through innovative modelling and science, we identify and deliver, we dive into the benefits of NFM measures and land management adjustments to help store water on the land and reduce flood risk to downstream communities.
- climate change mitigation - our ambitious project spans the SUNO catchment, focusing on reducing flooding and future climate change induced flooding climate change impacts across York and smaller communities in North Yorkshire. By investing in NbS and NFM measures, we bolster community resilience and bring innovation to the forefront.
- nature solutions in action - we actively implement NbS and NFM solutions within the catchment in collaboration with our partners.
- collaborate with communities - Ousewem is committed to building partnerships and community engagement. We aim to increase awareness and explore sustainable financing models, ensuring a legacy of NbS and NFM investment opportunities across the catchment.
Our engagement efforts extend throughout the catchment, upstream to downstream, ensuring that flood affected communities’ voices are heard. We’re not just talking about change; we’re making it happen.
Our innovative approach
Ousewem’s innovative approach will:
- understand risk - we explore the impact of land management changes on the downstream flood risk
- slow the flow - our project demonstrate how water can be effectively used to mitigate flooding
- use community engagement - our project demonstrates communities’ connection through water and will increase awareness around the risk of flooding and collaborating to prevent this risk
- build capacity - we’re fostering creating a legacy of “natural flood management” strategy, funding and work within the catchment
Our partners
Ousewem delivers through a partnership approach.
Ousewem is led by City of York Council in close collaboration with North Yorkshire Council alongside our delivery partners JBA, Natural England, Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust and the University of York.
Read more about the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme.
This project is funded by Defra as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes which is managed by the Environment Agency. The programmes will drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.
We also work with a wide range of catchment partners including:
- Dales to Vales Rivers Network
- NFM Practitioners
- Nidderdale National Landscape
- St Nicks
- Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme (iCASP)
- Yorkshire Peat Partnership
- West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme (WY FLIP)
- White Rose Forest
- Woodlands Trust
- York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
- Yorkshire Dales National Park
- Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC)
- Yorkshire Water
- Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Join Ousewem on this exciting journey towards a flood-resilient tomorrow. Together, we’ll safeguard our environment and communities.
