The Crane Smarter Water Catchment approach is being piloted by Thames Water, the Crane Valley Partnership and other key stakeholders as a collaborative way of addressing the challenges and opportunities that the rivers and green spaces face. The Crane is the first urban river system in the Thames region to be considered in this way.
Please clik here to read the Smart Water Catchment plan updated to 2024.
We can’t assess nature-based solutions using the same methods and cost-benefit calculations as we would to justify investing in hard-engineered infrastructure. This is because they provide many more benefits to local communities and user groups across the catchment and beyond. Across the industry, there’s been a huge drive to create new assessments and use the right tools to demonstrate the value these solutions can add. So far, evidence is limited, and one single approach is yet to be adopted for the mainstream price review process. We believe a collaborative and cross-sector approach will deliver multiple environmental, social and financial benefits. So, while we deliver our catchment plans, we’ll collect as much evidence of this as we can using an agreed set of criteria across the whole programme.
Collecting this evidence will help us to demonstrate the value of our approach as well as:
- Identify which measures are most effective to achieve benefits
- Help our partners assess their progress in achieving their own objectives
- Provide the water sector with an increased understanding of the potential that partnerships can offer when making investment decisions
Let's Go Outside and Learn are working with partners Habitats & Heritage to develop the theme of public awareness and participation with the aim of encouraging more local people to take an active interest in the River Crane, it's green spaces and to nurture community stewardship. We are working collaboratively with programme themes - access, enhance flood resistance, improve water quality, improve geomorphology (river form) and enhance biodiversity (wildlife and their habitats).
More information about the programme can be found in our document: "Do you know that you are part of something big?"
For more information about the initiative please see the Crane Valley Partnership's webpages https://www.cranevalley.org.uk/smarter-water-catchments/