WPCC Hydrology Study Gets Underway
A comprehensive hydrology study of the Commons, generously funded by donations to our 2025 Big Give Green Match fundraising appeal, was initiated this week – the first stage in our plan to manage water on site: averting future flooding of paths and pitches, while preventing our varied wetlands from drying up.
Environmental scientists from Atkins Realis held a workshop with WPCC staff, including the conservation and maintenance teams, to understand how water flows and pools across the Commons, in order to introduce long-term solutions in place of reactive ‘quick fixes’.
Water flow around the Commons currently impacts the health of various habitats, including plants and wildlife, particularly where paths are being eroded and flooded, rendering them impassable, and causing walkers and other users to cut across sensitive heathland for example. This has become an increasing problem with the increase in winter rainfall over the past few decades.
The Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields (REMPF), used by local teams and schools, most notably for the annual national Schools Rugby 7s Tournament, particularly suffer from surface-water flooding making the pitches water-logged and unplayable – especially around the sports pavilion.
Understanding how water flows will help us make better decisions about where paths should be, how to manage run‑off from hard surfaces, and how to ensure year‑round access without harming sensitive areas and thus improving biodiversity.
During the workshop, problem hotspots and priority paths were identified - those that are popular or provide a route between places or those that travel through sensitive habitats.
The group learned how artificial drainage networks can sometimes push water in directions that contradict natural topography and considered whether existing ditches should be maintained, repurposed, or removed.
The challenge of maintaining the playing fields when they are located on a flood plain was discussed - and how the hydrological study’s recommendations could support year-round use.
During the workshop, problem hotspots and priority paths were identified - those that are popular or provide a route between places or those that travel through sensitive habitats.
The group learned how artificial drainage networks can sometimes push water in directions that contradict natural topography and considered whether existing ditches should be maintained, repurposed, or removed.
The challenge of maintaining the playing fields when they are located on a flood plain was discussed - and how the hydrological study’s recommendations could support year-round use.
Atkins Realis also explained how nature-based solutions, such as creating or expanding wetlands and wet woodland, redirecting or slowing water flow using scrapes, bunds and natural topography, can make the Commons more resilient to climate change.
The team had an initial tour of the Commons and will be on site to map opportunities for nature-based solutions and carry out wet weather surveys over the next few weeks. We will share updates as the project progresses.