Last updated: October 2021
The Water of Leith is home to a wide diversity of plants and animals. The river performs an important flood control function in the city. A management plan envisions to create a healthy river that flows through a green corridor from the hills to the sea and is a haven for wildlife, is enjoyed and managed by the public, and is valued for its built and cultural heritage. The current intervention is about an extensive Flood Prevention Scheme. Walls and other flood defence measures have been constructed from Murrayfield downstream to Bonnington. A re-modelling exercise is being carried out to include the impact of climate change on the river system and the efficacy of the flood prevention scheme. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust works to conserve and enhance the river, its heritage and wildlife. It also promotes education and recreation and works with volunteers and community groups (ref 1, 2, 3).
Construction works for flood prevention
http://www.waterofleith.org.uk/blog/category/flood-works
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Lakes/ponds
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Green space creation and/or management
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
The objective of the flood prevention scheme were,
1. to provide a higher level of protection to homes and businesses that are at risk of severe flooding events.
2. to manage the river to minimise flood risk and reduce the impact of flooding whilst mimicking natural flow variations.
3. to conserve and enhance the river, its heritage and protect the wildlife including, flood prevention, enhancing the river, heritage protection and conserving wildlife
4. to improve water quality.
5. to improve riparian morphology to meet Water Framework Directive good ecological potential in the water bodies within the catchment. (ref 1, 2, 3).
Implementation activities
The Flood Prevention Scheme Phase 1 and 2 are complete. It consists of the construction of flood defences over approximately 1.2 km along the Water of Leith at Murrayfield. Works included top-of-bank, reinforced concrete piled retaining walls which incorporate embedded steel sheet pile foundations that further reduce flood risk by controlling seepage during long duration storm events. As well as, enhancement of the river flow regime through the demolition of 4 bridges across the river and their replacement with two new road bridges and provision of an overflow channel to provide additional storage capacity. A two-stage channel and berm has been created. The Trust promotes education and recreation through the Visitor Centre, and works with volunteers and community groups to deliver around 100 river clean-ups and habitat improvement tasks annually. Community groups and local businesses are involved in many projects along the river including: River clean-ups, Invasive species removal, Path maintenance, Vegetation control, Removing log jams, Native wildflower planting, Creating education areas, Habitat creation projects (ref 1, 3, 5).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Clear and control invasive alien species
- Restore ecological connectivity
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Private foundation/trust
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Citizen monitoring and review
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
A number of organisations, agencies and individuals are involved in the river’s management. The action of a number of these is coordinated through the Water of Leith Action Group. Organisations are: WoLCT – Water of Leith Conservation Trust; City of Edinburgh Council Countryside Ranger Service;Lothian and Borders RIGS Group of the Edinburgh Geological Society; SEPA –Scottish Environment Protection Agency; EWHT Edinburgh World Heritage Trust; Pentland Hills Regional Park Ranger Service; Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. They are together responsible to expand stakeholder involvement in the sustainable management of the river. (ref 1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(1. EU Floods Directive: implemented in the project through the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.
2. Water Framework Directive: implemented in the project through the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 (ref 1))
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(Water Framework Directive: is implemented in Scotland through the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003, requires the creation of a river basin planning system that will promote sustainable water use while protecting and improving the water environment. It is being co-ordinated by SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency). - (ref 1))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
( Environmental Action Plan for the flood defence works (ref 1, 2))
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public regional budget
- Public local authority budget
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
Economic impacts
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of natural heritage
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Water of Leith Management Plan 2020-2030. Prepared for Water of Leith Action Group By Helen Brown
Published 3rd April 2020. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
2. Edinburgh City Council. (no date) Water of Leith flood prevention scheme phase 2. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
3. Edinburgh City Council. (no date) Natural Heritage Sites. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
4. Water of Leith Conservation Trust (no date) Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
5. McLaughlin & Harvey (no date )Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme Phase 2. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
6. Lagan Specialist Contracting (no date) Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
Published 3rd April 2020. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
2. Edinburgh City Council. (no date) Water of Leith flood prevention scheme phase 2. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
3. Edinburgh City Council. (no date) Natural Heritage Sites. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
4. Water of Leith Conservation Trust (no date) Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
5. McLaughlin & Harvey (no date )Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme Phase 2. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.
6. Lagan Specialist Contracting (no date) Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 25th August, 2020.