Making sense of nature-based flood mitigation: A levers framework for conceptualizing and communicating natural flood management (NFM)
Abstract
Natural flood management (NFM) offers a sustainable alternative to traditional flood mitigation by harnessing natural processes to slow and attenuate floods. This paper introduces a biogeomorphic levers framework to conceptualize NFM across three spatial scales; channels and reaches, valleys and corridors, and tributaries and catchments. By identifying geomorphic and vegetative elements that can be manipulated to enhance hydraulic roughness and deliver flood mitigation, the framework provides a practical tool for implementation and communication. The article provides an overview of the challenges of scaling NFM for different flood magnitudes and offers a reality check for practitioners and decision-makers. This forum reframes NFM as a nature-based, multi-scalar strategy for the 21st century.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Flood Risk Assessment and Management
Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
Publication details
- Journal / source
- BioScience
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 842–853
- Publication date
- 9 June 2026
- Language
- EN