About the project

Get Involved

The Devon Resilience Innovation Project (DRIP) is a partnership project coordinated by Devon County Council. 

The North Devon Biosphere has been working in the Little Dart and Umber Catchments enabling the delivery of natural flood management interventions and water sensing technologies in the catchments.  

Why the Umber and Little Dart Catchments?
The River Umber flows into the sea at Combe Martin a seaside town in North Devon. Historically the river has water quality problems that have affected the bathing water status of the beach at Combe Martin. The catchment is short and steep sided, the Environment Agency classifies it as a rapid response catchment at risk of flash flooding. 

The Little Dart and Huntacott water rise on the moors and culm grassland around Rackenford and join the river Taw below Chulmleigh. Both catchments have either moderate or poor ecological status due in a large part to agricultural activities within the catchment. The river respond rapidly to rainfall causing flooding on roads and to properties as well as contributing to flooding downstream on the taw. 

If you are a landowner within the Umber or Little Dart Catchments, the land advisor team are able to visit you and provide advice on Natural Flood Management interventions.

If you are interested in siting a Smart Biosphere sensor on your land please enquire.  

Contact us

What we are doing

The land advisor team from North Devon Biosphere works with landowners to identify Natural Flood Management interventions. Funding has either been provided through DRIP or facilitated through applications to other grants sources.  

DRIP has also funded the installation of depth, water quality and soil moisture sensors across both catchments as Smart Biosphere pilot sites. These sensors allow data to be collected on the existing condition of the catchments and record positive or negative changes over time.  

Likely impacts

The interventions within the catchment aim to slow the flow, allow more water to be held on land and catch sediment and agricultural runoff from neighbouring land.  The additive effect of many small interventions will improve river health and flood resilience.  

The Smart Biosphere sensors will enable any changes within the catchments to be monitored, recorded and evaluated. Directing future work and help decision making.