What its position is on the role of natural flood management measures in flood risk reduction, and how the potential associated benefits of…

Managing flood risk at the catchment level through a portfolio of measures is key to achieving sustainable flood risk management and a statutory requirement set out in the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. Scottish Government guidance on Sustainable Flood Risk Management (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2011/06/15150211/0) and SEPA’s Natural Flood Management Handbook (https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/163560/sepa-natural-flood-management-handbook1.pdf), further reinforce the importance of working across catchments and coastlines to reduce flood risk.
The Scottish Government’s guidance on options appraisal for flood risk management http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00500974.pdf) describes how the associated benefits of natural flood management are considered as part of decision making in selecting measures. SEPA and the responsible authorities considered both the positive and negative effects of any action, including effects on biodiversity. Where natural flood management actions were identified, more detailed assessments of opportunity (carried out in the natural flood management studies) will consider where additional benefits may be accrued, such as river restoration that benefits both Water Framework Directive status and flood risk.