27th February: Project will help reduce the risk of flooding to communities

A FLOOD resilience and biodiversity project developed by Scottish Borders environmental charity Tweed Forum at Eddleston Water near Peebles has gained global significance by being chosen as a UNESCO Ecohydrology Demonstration Site – the only one in the UK.

Measures implemented across the 69km2 Eddleston Water catchment include the creation of 38 new ponds to catch surface water flow and hold water back, and the remeandering of some 3.5km of once-straightened river channels.

Over a hundred engineered log structures have been created on streams in the upper catchment. Built to allow fish to pass underneath, these slow excess water by directing it into land on either side of the river channel.

Over 330,000 native trees have also been planted across the catchment.