"With flooding on the rise, the need for new and innovative solutions to protect people and property is evident. I’m exploring how we can harness nature-based solutions to safeguard our communities from disaster."

Martyn Roberts is a Hydro Nation scholar and PhD candidate at the University of Aberdeen and The James Hutton Institute.

Flood risk management in the UK and EU is currently undergoing a paradigm shift, with a change in emphasis towards Nature-Based Solutions. A measure being used in a variety of landscapes is a temporary storage area (TSA), designed to attenuate storm surface runoff. Martyn’s research aims to understand the functioning of TSAs regarding scale and place. This will include determining the function of TSAs across various soil, physical and land management conditions and under various states of wetness. The research will explore the role of soil management on soil hydraulic conductivity and how that impacts surface runoff generation and drainage functioning of TSAs. Ultimately, Martyn’s research will contribute to more effective targeting and management of TSAs.

Previously, Martyn obtained a BSc (Hons) in Geography at the University of Chester. His undergraduate research investigated the application of Natural Flood Management in rural South Shropshire. Furthermore, he has experience as an environmental consultant.

By undertaking a PhD, Martyn aims to provide a decision support framework for policy and practitioners. This will communicate the functioning of TSAs in various scenarios and provide a useful tool for effectively targeting and managing future TSAs.