Thread by @this_damselfly

Lots of news in the watery world over the last 2 weeks, so here’s a round-up on water resources, surface water flooding, water company fines, chalkstreams and others. Bear with me, there’s a lot to cover; some good, some bad! 🧵

💧 Water companies (& in England, Regional Water Resources Groups) are consulting on plans to mange water supplies. It’s key that they hear what customers want, including as @RichardsonNath stresses, the need to stop investigating and START DOING.

https://twitter.com/RichardsonNath/status/1595694672332181505

💧 @NatInfraCom published its report on reducing surface water flooding. By 2055, 600K properties could be at risk. Recommendations include that Govt. implements Sch3 of the Flood & Water Mangt. Act 2010, setting mandatory standards for sustainable drainage in new developments.

We @WildlifeTrusts signed this letter to the PM from @CIWEM, backing the NIC’s recommendation. Sustainable Drainage Systems (#SuDS) can manage flood risk, improve water quality & benefit biodiversity ciwem.org/news/schedule-3

💧 Funds from water company fines will soon support environmental & water quality improvements, rather than going to Treasury. 🎉Welcome news – we & other eNGOs @WCL_News have consistently called for this. The limits on fines are also set to be raised.
deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2022/11/30/wat…

💧Progress on 30+ actions in the CaBA #Chalkstream Restoration Strategy is charted in the 1st Implementation Plan, published end-Nov. There’s much to welcome, but yet more to do, esp. on overarching actions that will drive investment in chalkstreams 👇
anglingtrust.net/wp-content/upl…?

Progress cannot come fast enough, as a new report highlights how Climate Change puts chalk stream biodiversity at risk. Salmonids, eel, lamprey, native white-clawed crayfish & nationally rare insects all face population declines & local extinction…
dynamicstreams.wixsite.com/website/public…

…and a new EA report makes stark projections on temperature incr. in chalkstreams, including that in some scenarios 85% could exceed temperatures for salmonid winter egg survival, & all could see summer temps that prove fatal for brown trout, by 2080.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl…

💧 Meanwhile it’s reported that the Environment Act target to reduce agricultural pollution of our waters will be WEAKER than that proposed during the consultation, as 3 extra years will be allowed for the sector to reduce pollution into waterways by 40%
theguardian.com/environment/20…

… and in any case, enforcement may prove tricky, with Defra’s day-to-day spending – a budget already cut to the bone – set to be further reduced.
theguardian.com/society/2022/n…

💧 But to end on some good news:
1) @EnvAgency evaluation of a £15m #NaturalFloodManagement programme confirms the value of working w. nature. 60 projects created 1.6M m3 of water storage, increased flood resilience for 15K homes & improved habitats.
gov.uk/government/new…

...and 2) January will see the very-welcome launch of WATERSHED, headed by @RachSalv - an investigative journalism venture highlighting the plight of our waters, and the solutions we can (and must) employ.
/End.