Restoring wetlands along the upper River Tamm reduced peak flood levels in the town below by up to a fifth, according to a five-year study published on Monday.
Researchers measured water flows before and after farmland was returned to marsh. In the heaviest storms, the wetlands absorbed and slowly released water that would otherwise have reached the town within hours.
Farmers who gave up land were paid under a government scheme. Some say the payments are too low to make the change worthwhile without long-term guarantees.
The authors say the findings support “nature-based” flood defences alongside, not instead of, conventional barriers.
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