Taking action for a resilient River Taff

Overview

Click to read this page in Welsh / Cliciwch i ddarllen y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg 

Working together to shape the future of the Taff Catchment.The River Taff runs through the our communities, people live and work on the banks of the rivers in the Taff Catchment. Our rivers are an important network for nature and has formed our dramatic landscape from the uplands of Bannau Brycheiniog to Cardiff Bay. However, the catchment faces increasing challenges from flooding, climate change, water quality issues, habitat degradation, ageing infrastructure and changing land use. These challenges are interconnected and cannot be solved by any single organisation acting alone.

The Taff Catchment Approach is bringing together communities, public bodies, businesses, landowners and environmental organisations to develop a shared long-term vision for a more resilient River Taff. Building on the original Strategic Flood Risk Management Plan, the programme has evolved into a wider catchment initiative that seeks to reduce flood risk while delivering benefits for nature, water quality, climate adaptation and community wellbeing.

A New Chapter for the Taff Catchment

Dr David Clubb has been appointed as Independent Chair of the new Taff Catchment Partnership, marking an important milestone in developing a collaborative and long-term approach for the catchment. Drawing on his experience in sustainability, governance and climate resilience, including as former Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales, David will support partners and communities in shaping the future direction of the programme.

The Partnership will work across the whole catchment to:

• Reduce flood risk and increase resilience to climate change.
• Restore natural processes and improve river health.
• Improve water quality and ecological resilience.
• Support communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from flooding.
• Deliver multiple environmental, social and economic benefits.
• Attract coordinated investment into long-term catchment improvements.

Our Vision

“Where the rain falls... collectively managing water across the catchment for long-term community and environmental resilience."

We want to create a resilient Taff catchment where:

• Communities are better prepared for flooding and climate change.
• Rivers are healthier, cleaner and better connected.
• Natural processes help manage water and reduce flood risk.
• Investment delivers multiple benefits for people and nature.
• Decisions are informed by shared evidence and local knowledge.
• Organisations work together through a common catchment framework.

Our areas of focus

The Taff Catchment Approach is structured around several interconnected themes:

• Community Voice - Ensuring communities help shape decisions and play an active role in building resilience.
• Land and Water Managed Sustainably - Using natural processes, sustainable land management and nature-based solutions to manage water across the catchment.
• Strategic Multiple Benefits - Designing interventions that reduce flood risk while also improving water quality, biodiversity, climate resilience and wellbeing.
• Delivery - Developing a long-term pipeline of projects and investment opportunities capable of delivering change at scale.
• Collaborative Ways of Working - Creating shared governance, evidence and decision-making processes across organisations.
• Transformation - Demonstrating a new integrated catchment model that can be replicated elsewhere in Wales.

Why a Catchment Approach?

Flooding is influenced by what happens throughout an entire river catchment, not just within individual communities. The Taff catchment approach recognises that improving resilience requires action from the mountains to the bay. This includes exploring the reconnection of  floodplains, land management, reducing surface water runoff, urban green infrastructure, improving water quality and strengthening community resilience alongside traditional engineering approaches.

By considering the catchment as a whole, we can identify opportunities that provide benefits for flood risk management, nature recovery, climate adaptation, health and wellbeing, and sustainable economic growth.

The Taff Catchment Partnership

We are establishing a new Taff Catchment Partnership, which will bring together local authorities, Welsh Government bodies, environmental organisations, water companies, landowners, businesses and communities to collaboratively develop and deliver a shared Catchment Plan.

The Partnership will help ensure that:

• Community voices influence strategic decisions.
• Actions are coordinated across organisations.
• Investment is targeted where it delivers the greatest benefits.
• Learning and innovation are shared.
• Long-term resilience becomes embedded in future planning and delivery.

Get Involved

The future of the River Taff will be shaped through collaboration. Over the coming months the Taff Catchment Partnership will engage with communities, stakeholders and organisations across the catchment to help develop a shared vision, priorities and long-term plan for action. Everyone who lives, works and invests within the catchment has a role to play in creating a more resilient future.