Country diary: Beaver-style flood defences take root amid a hosepipe ban

The dry weather continues, making the ground as hard as metal. Bees are busy feeding on nectar, and the hay has been cut. Although the harvest wasn't as plentiful as hoped, it was better than last year. Red kites, a type of bird of prey, are seen hunting over the fields, and swallows are flying low. Usually, empty fields invite horse riding, but the ground is so dry it sounds like a hard road when a horse gallops. With no rain expected, a second hay cutting seems unlikely.

A ban on using garden hoses has just been announced. The driest area in the country is East Anglia, where the story is set. It is hard to imagine heavy rain when the land is so parched. However, a village not far from the author has been preparing for exactly that kind of eventuality.

In December 2020, the village experienced continuous rain. The water flowing from the fields overwhelmed the drainage systems. The main street turned into a fast-flowing, shallow river of brown water. Standard sandbags were not enough to prevent homes from flooding. The road often became submerged, making it impassable for smaller vehicles. Flood warnings were issued, and local people worked to keep the drains clear. That Christmas was particularly difficult for the residents.

But changes have been made. Walking down a street with the fitting name of Wash Lane, where a deep crack now holds a completely dry stream bed, you can see four large structures. These are called ‘leaky dams’ or logjams. They are built from wood and are designed to catch floating debris and slow down the natural flow of water.

Norfolk county council spent over £35,000 on this project. The idea is inspired by beavers, who are known as nature’s original builders. Beavers cut down trees to build their dams and homes. In doing so, they reduce the speed of water flow and create ponds, which are beneficial for insects like dragonflies and for amphibians to reproduce.

There are no beavers living in this particular area. While a few beavers have been released in Norfolk and some have successfully had young, they are not located nearby. Nevertheless, the timber structures have been installed to naturally decrease water speed.

Ironically, the fields around these new defences are planned for a large solar farm development. This could change how rainwater flows across the land. Climate change causes extreme weather events, but our solutions should be smart, like those of beavers. They should support the overall health of the environment and create more space for nature, not less.