I attended the fourth annual ADA Environment Day at Park Farm in Thorney on 4 February 2026, where lowland water management professionals gathered to address current pressures in flood risk and drainage management.
Practical Focus on Lowland Flood and Drainage Management
The programme centred on practical action. Speakers explored lowland flood resilience, water level control and environmental management through clear, field-based examples. Sessions examined how wetlands can be integrated into water level management and how ecological performance can be factored into pump design. Presenters also reviewed ditch profile monitoring, linking biodiversity outcomes with greenhouse gas considerations.
Case studies from the Pevensey Levels and Cuckmere Valley in East Sussex demonstrated how integrated water management approaches can be applied in comparable lowland settings. These examples offered grounded, transferable learning for practitioners.
International Perspectives and Emerging Risks
International insight added further depth to the discussions. Dutch approaches to managing beavers in watercourses and along dikes highlighted the balance required between habitat benefits and flood protection responsibilities. Other contributors addressed rainwater source control as a means of reducing pressure on sewer networks.
Early findings from the Fens2100+ project outlined long-term adaptation planning for low-lying areas. The spread of the invasive Chinese mitten crab across UK and European waters was also discussed, reinforcing the need for vigilance and coordinated management responses.
Aligning Drainage Operations with Environmental Goals
A consistent theme throughout the day was the need to align drainage operations with environmental objectives. Habitat management and climate adaptation are increasingly integrated with traditional water level control responsibilities. Internal Drainage Boards and practitioners used the event to exchange operational experience and share emerging risks specific to lowland environments. The peer discussions proved as valuable as the formal presentations.
Slides from all speakers are available on the ADA Environment Day webpage at https://www.ada.org.uk/events/environment-day/.
Further details about the event can be found at https://www.ada.org.uk/2026/02/adaenvday26_blog/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=adaenvday26_blog.
The event was sponsored by Breheny Civil Engineering, enabling free attendance for practitioners. More information about the sponsor is available at https://breheny.co.uk/.