National award for Devon Resilience Innovation Project

Academics and PhD researchers from the Â鶹´«Ã½ are playing an important role in the DRIP initiative
The Devon Resilience Innovation Project (DRIP) was among the winners at the Environment Agency’s Flood & Coast Excellence Awards
A project working to improve resilience to flooding in 26 communities across Devon has received a prestigious award.
The DRIP project helps neighbourhoods to be better prepared for flooding and to recover more quickly from flood events, was among the winners at the Environment Agency’s Flood & Coast Excellence Awards.
It was presented with an award in the Surface Water Management category, recognising DRIP’s work to increase flood resilience in Stokeinteignhead, including natural flood management, property flood resilience, community engagement and a surface water flood forecasting pilot project.
This work has been led by Devon County Council, with support from a number of partners including the Â鶹´«Ã½, Westcountry Rivers Trust, JBA Consulting, Kisters, and University of Exeter.
Gale Alexender, DRIP project manager, said:
“We are thrilled to receive this award because it represents a triumph for our efforts on the project over the previous five years. Being recognised by our peers is the ultimate accolade for the whole Flood & Coastal Risk Management team who have contributed in different ways, and our partner organisations. We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the community and landowner, without whom this scheme would not have been possible."
The Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s work on the programme is being overseen by Dr Paul Lunt , Associate Professor in Environmental Science, who is leading a joint doctoral training partnership to evaluate the effectiveness of natural flood management (NFM) solutions.
Delivered with researchers in Exeter, the partnership is enabling PhD researchers - such as Environmental Consultancy graduate Miss Georgina Freer-Carmichael - to conduct field studies, data analysis, and modelling to assess how interventions like wetland restoration, tree planting, and leaky dams can slow water flow and reduce surface runoff.
Their findings help ensure that the measures implemented are not only innovative but also scientifically sound and tailored to the specific needs of Devon’s communities.

Our involvement in the DRIP initiave brings academic rigour and long-term monitoring to the project, helping to validate the effectiveness of NFM strategies.

This is especially important as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. By grounding DRIP’s work in cutting-edge research, the partnership ensures that communities benefit from the most effective, sustainable, and future-proof flood resilience solutions. As part of the project, PhD researcher Georgina Freer-Carmichael is evaluating the benefits of innovative, nature-based solutions for flood management. These approaches are essential for the future as they help reduce the risks faced by flood-prone communities – especially in light of the increasing intensity of rainfall following recent climate change.

Paul LuntDr Paul Lunt
Associate Professor in Environmental Science

Georgina Freer-Carmichael taking a soil core for carbon sampling of a floodplain
PhD researcher Georgina Freer-Carmichael gathering and analysing samples for the project
Georgina Freer-Carmichael taking a macroinvertebrate sample from a natural flood management site using a kick net
Georgian Freer-Carmichael looking at a tray of macro invertebrates taken from a natural flood management site
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DRIP is funded by DEFRA as part of the £150 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme (FCRIP), which is managed by the Environment Agency to develop and test new approaches to help communities become more resilient to the effects of flooding and climate change.
There are a number of ways DRIP is supporting communities to improve their flood resilience, including managing the flow of water in an area, planning for and responding effectively to incidents, recovering quickly and building back better, and making the best-informed land use and development choices.
 

The Devon Resilience Innovation Project (DRIP) is a community flood resilience project:

Reconnecting flood plain
Aerial view from high altitude of little planet earth with small village houses and distant green cultivated agricultural fields with growing crops on bright summer evening

Sustainable Earth Institute

Farmer walking on infertile soil

Healthy Landscapes / Life on Land

BSc (Hons) Environmental Science fieldwork Slapton

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

 

Environmental scientists are critical to addressing global environmental challenges:

BSc (Hons) Environmental Science students on Dartmoor