The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has published a new Natural Flood Management guidance.

SEPA drew up the handbook after it said recent flooding showed new methods of managing flood risks are needed.

The Agency said: "A key element of sustainable flood risk management involves finding ways to manage flooding at its source, rather than solely focusing on traditional engineering further down the catchment.

"This can include, for example, riparian planting, reinstating flood plains, restoring coastal areas or returning watercourses back to their natural shape."

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It is understood these new measures can reduce flooding during smaller, more frequent events while also delivering other benefits.

Heather Forbes, Senior Policy Officer in SEPA's Flood Risk Management team, said: "Flooding has caused devastation and misery for many people across Scotland in recent weeks, and highlighted the increasing pressure on flood risk defences. To continue to focus only on managing flooding through these traditional means is not sustainable. By managing the sources and pathways of flood waters further up the catchment, we can help to reduce the impacts on any defences downstream."

Environment Minister Aileen McLeod added: "The launch of this new handbook will also provide practitioners with valuable information on how best to implement natural flood management measures."

Visit here to view the Natural Flood Management Handbook.

(LM/MH)