Ongoing

The Exmoor Mires project is part of a wider Upstream Thinking programme initiated by the local water company South West Water (SWW) to use land management to tackle problems of water quality and quantity across South-west England. The benefit to SWW is in potentially reducing the costs of water treatment. Demonstration of success will allow SWW to approach the regulator (OFWAT) for permission to develop PES schemes to deliver these benefits in future. The Exmoor Mires project involves peatland restoration through blocking historic drainage ditches with a target of restoring 2000 ha by 2015. The primary benefits of the project have been to reduce runoff (32%) and increase water storage (additional 364 m3/ha). The success of the project has been aided by the land ownership and public engagement by the Exmoor National Park Authority and support from other public agencies and research from universities.

The initiative is aimed at the recovering and maintenance of a cultural and historical heritage with the promotion of new agricultural activities (not necessarily for economic purposes). A large part of terraces are no longer used today, as landowners either emigrated or are too old to take care of them. As a consequence, these terraces are increasingly degraded. The Committee "Adotta un terrazzamento" (Adopt a Terrace) acts as a mediator among landowners and people interested in "adopting" a terrace": with a contribution of 10 euros, any private citizen can be assigned a terraced plot to establish a vegetable garden. In exchange, the private citizen commits to restore and take care of the terrace at his/her disposal. The recovery of the terraces permits the valorization of the local resources, combining social/economic aims with the need to safeguard infrastructures that prevent hydro-geological instability.

During recent years the construction of sediment capture ponds as a part of the drainage system has become a good practice measure in the forests managed by Latvian State Forests. Therefore, some of the environmental impacts of this measure have been monitored to justify its costs. The results indicate differences between monitoring sites set up on mineral or peatland soils as well as between different measured parameters. Additionally, it seems that the effectiveness of the measure depends on the skills and quality of the work carried out by professionals constructing the ponds.

Since 2012, several studies led by the Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava" have evaluated the water quality outcomes at multiple sites. Results show that sediment capture ponds are generally more effective at reducing total suspended solids (TSS) than at retaining nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorus. Performance varies between sites and years, but TSS reductions of over 60% have been recorded in some cases. However, nutrient retention has been inconsistent and often negligible.

Recent demonstrations under the LIFE GoodWater IP project have tested alternative designs, including ponds with woodchip filters or peak flow control features. These trials further confirmed that pond shape, design, and local hydrological conditions greatly influence performance. Overall, sediment ponds remain a key component of water protection in Latvian forest drainage systems, but may need to be complemented with additional structures or adapted designs to maximise effectiveness.

The Sutlansko Lake area is a wetland with a high biological diversity. The Vonarje reservoir was initially built in the early 1980s for drinking water supply, irrigation and flood protection along the transboundary Sutla/Sotla River between Croatia and Slovenia. The reservoir was later drained due to difficulties in managing its water quality and sedimentation. Since then, it has operated as a dry retention basin for flood protection. At the bottom of the reservoir, wetland ecosystems gradually developed. For this reason, the area of the reservoir on the Slovene side has been designated as a Natura 2000 site.

In recent years, the reservoir infrastructure was modernised through the FRISCO 2.1 project (2017–2019), funded by the Interreg V-A Slovenia–Croatia programme. The project aimed to reduce cross-border flood risks by reinforcing and upgrading the Vonarje dam and associated hydro-mechanical and electrical systems. The works were completed in 2019, enhancing the safety and functionality of the flood retention structure and improving its operational reliability.

The retention basin continues to serve as a key flood protection measure in the rural transboundary basin, offering temporary water storage during flood events while supporting ecological functions. Hydrological and sediment modelling have shown that the structure plays an important role in managing downstream sediment and nutrient flows, despite ongoing pressures from agricultural and point-source pollution.

Sponge Scapes case study 12 IT
Bosco Limite is a reforestation research project launched in 2013 by Etifor and a private landowner in the Po Valley (Italy) upstream of a groundwater abstraction area for Venice, Vicenza and other towns. The project transformed a former maize field into a multifunctional lowland forest which provides a wide range of goods and services, such as groundwater recharge, CO2 fixation, biodiversity safeguard, production of high quality wood and biomass for energetic purposes, and recreational-touristic services.
The project was implemented in an area previously used for intensive agriculture with high economic returns. Therefore, the main challenge of the project was to find alternative sources of income for landowners who made their land available for reforestation. The establishment of PES schemes for a variety of services (water provision, carbon sequestration, production of wood and biomass for energetic purposes, biodiversity safeguard and environmental education including recreational-touristic services) was key for the success of the project.
On its initial 2.5 hectares, Bosco Limite now hosts more than 2,300 trees belonging to native lowland forest species, as well as over 20 animal species including hares, roe deer, birds, and pollinators.
It is the largest Infiltration Forest Area (AFI) in Veneto, where a system of canals stretching over 1 km enables more than 1 million m³ of water per year to seep into the soil and recharge the aquifer. Tree roots and soil microorganisms naturally purify the water, improving quality before it reaches the aqueduct.
Over the years, the forest has faced challenges such as droughts and a tornado in 2021. To strengthen its resilience, between 2024 and 2026, species more tolerant of dry conditions like new English oaks, sessile oaks, and hornbeams are being planted, along with extraordinary maintenance of canals and vegetation.
In 2025, the Laghi di Bosco Limite expansion added another 2.5 hectares, featuring:
- an infiltration basin capable of recharging up to 645,000 m³ of water per year;
- a multifunctional wetland to enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and serve as an emergency irrigation reserve;
- the planting of 1,400 native trees and shrubs, together with hedgerows, flowering meadows, and vegetated strips;
- light recreational infrastructure such as trails, rest areas, observation points, and educational paths.

This expansion transforms Bosco Limite into an even richer landscape, combining ecological restoration with public access and educational opportunities.

Three measures were implemented in the Őrség National Park to rehabilitate habitats, all with water retention benefits. (1) Ponds were created in forests to collect run-off from forestry roads, providing safe breeding grounds for reptiles instead of temporary roadside puddles. (2) Shelterbelts, groves and wetlands were re-vegetated on agricultural land where such landscape elements had been removed about 50 years earlier. (3) Closures were built in drainage channels to allow seasonal flooding of alder (Alnus) forests and wet meadows, enhancing habitat quality and ecological connectivity along the Csörnöc stream.

Since then, restoration efforts have expanded. The Park Directorate and partners have secured significant new funding (2025) to restore wetlands, hay meadows and riparian zones. The ongoing “Living Landscape” project (2024–2026), led by the Barn Owl Foundation with the park’s involvement, is restoring a diverse landscape mosaic along the Hungarian Green Belt. Actions include creating new wetlands and ponds, re-establishing hedgerows and tree lines, and improving landscape connectivity. Earlier, agri-environment initiatives (e.g. 2021 “Dream contract” approach) promoted small-scale, multifunctional farming and micro-habitat creation, reinforcing both biodiversity and water retention in the park’s cultural landscape.

In the framework of a research programme, no tillage field trials have been installed in lower Austria. They showed a significant reduction of runoff, as well as a reduced loss of nutrients. In addition, reduced or no tillage leads to less loss of soil, and an increased content of organic carbon in the soil.

Urban constructions carried out by JVProjektvh which include the removal or sinking of existing curbs, lowering or adjustment of the surface, transfer of storm water from the area of street inlets to decentralized devices, taking apart gutters and street inlets within green areas.
It is still included in urbanism today, and mimicked in other cities.

The fluvial and ecosystem restoration of the Arga and Aragón River systems combines multiple measures to reconnect rivers with their floodplains and improve habitat quality. Initially developed under the LIFE+ Territorio Visón project, the intervention focused on the lower Arga and lower-to-middle Aragón Rivers, key tributaries of the Ebro River in Navarra (NE Spain). Actions included removing dykes, restoring meanders and oxbows, rewetting floodplains, replanting native riparian vegetation, and promoting habitat heterogeneity.

Between 2016 and 2021, two implementation phases were completed, with over €7 million invested. Monitoring reports documented positive impacts on flood mitigation, biodiversity, and hydromorphological processes. A third phase is planned under Spain’s 2022–2030 National River Restoration Strategy, with an additional €3 million allocated.

The project is recognised as a model for large-scale river reconnection in agricultural landscapes. Follow-up studies assess vegetation recovery (active vs passive restoration), aquatic fauna return, and groundwater recharge. Coordination involves the Government of Navarra, Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro, Fundación Biodiversidad, and WWF Spain.

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) in Los Arenales, Spain, aims to address severe groundwater overexploitation through the seasonal diversion of surplus flows from the Cega and Voltoya rivers into infiltration basins and channels. Since the early 2000s, three MAR systems (El Carracillo, Santiuste, Pedrajas–Alcazarén) have helped reverse declining groundwater trends - replacing average losses of −1.4 m/year with rises of +0.3 m/year - while also improving water quality through soil filtration, notably reducing nitrates.

The systems are low-energy and gravity-fed, co-managed by the Duero River Basin Authority (CHD) and local irrigation communities. Monitoring shows benefits for aquifer recovery, flood buffering, wetland restoration (e.g. La Iglesia Lake), and energy savings (~22% reduction in pumping), with positive socio-economic outcomes including improved irrigation security and reduced rural depopulation.

Recent adjustments have been made to optimise recharge periods and flow thresholds from the Cega River, ensuring ecological flows are maintained. During droughts, stored water from wet years allows irrigation to continue, even if aquifer levels temporarily decline. These are recovered in subsequent wetter periods. The recharge system is well accepted by users, and flood events are managed by redirecting excess water back to the Pirón River, minimising basin transfer effects.