Nene Water Management Strategy

What is the Strategy?

The Environment Agency is preparing a long-term strategy for the management of the River Nene and its structures, known as the ‘Nene Water Management Strategy’. We have secured £3.5m funding from central Government to develop the Strategy, which will cover an 88km stretch of the river, running from Northampton to the Whittlesey Washes.


Get involved

We believe that collaboration is the key to success, and therefore we will work in partnership with stakeholders to develop and deliver the Strategy, including local authorities, technical stakeholders, utility companies, non-governmental organisations, universities, and local residents and businesses.

Your contributions are fundamental in ensuring that the Strategy maximises the opportunities for local communities and the environment. We have developed this page to both share updates and seek your inputs to inform the Strategy development. Please subscribe to this project to enable us to provide you with updates.

Please register and subscribe to stay informed. This will enable you to receive notifications when we make updates to the page contents. You can find more information about getting involved by reading the FAQs in the 'How to get involved' section.


Stories Tool

We told you we would be launching the 'Stories' tool on this page during May 2025 - we are pleased to announce the tool is now live!

Please share your stories and memories of the River Nene by clicking on the 'Stories' button at the bottom of this page.


What will the Strategy deliver?

The River Nene, from Northampton to the Whittlesey Washes, has numerous structures, including 38 locks, 39 sluices and 63 weirs. However, most of these structures are ageing and will reach the end of their design life within the next forty years.


The Nene Water Management Strategy will provide a clear direction for the most economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable way to manage the river for the next one hundred years. It will also explore the benefits associated with the existing river management and seek to enhance these in order to contribute to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These benefits could include:

  • ensuring safe navigation;

  • providing sufficient water supplies for homes and businesses;

  • managing flood risk;

  • supporting economic growth;

  • providing access to spaces that can enhance health and wellbeing;

  • contributing to carbon reduction; and

  • improving biodiversity and protecting habitats and wildlife.


The six key benefits that the Nene Water Management Strategy seeks to deliver are: Environment, landscape and biodiversity benefits to support wetland habitat and associated fisheries and biodiversity. Navigation and recreation benefits as structures play a fundamental role in enabling navigation. Growth, tourism and cultural heritage benefits because within the Oxford to Cambridge Pan Regional Partnership Area, the River Nene and its structures support regional growth in terms of water resources, tourism and amenity. Water resources and water quality benefits for communities and businesses, in particular in the agricultural and food sector. Flood risk management benefits as structures in the Lower Nene better protect Peterborough and Fenland areas from tidal inundation. Health, wellbeing and social value benefits because regionally important assets support active travel and health and wellbeing.


Diagram showcasing the benefits and beneficiaries of the Nene Water Management Strategy

Timeline

The following timeline sets out key milestones for the Strategy development, including opportunities for you to share your insights and feedback. Further details about opportunities to participate will be shared in due course.



The engagement programme for the Nene Water Management Strategy, which is divided into four stages: Stage 1 Initiation is ongoing until Spring 2025 and involves launching this project webpage and data gathering. Stage 2 Options Development runs from Spring 2025 to Summer 2026 and involves engaging with stakeholders to discuss possible options. Stage 3 Draft Strategy and Consultation runs from Summer 2026 to Winter 2026 and involves a public consultation to seek feedback on the draft Strategy, associated community drop-in events and analysis and reporting of feedback received. Stage 4 Final Strategy runs from Winter 2026 to Spring 2027 and involves finalisation of the Strategy using feedback received, and publication of the Strategy.of the Strategy.

Approach to developing the Nene Water Management Strategy and key milestones








What is the Strategy?

The Environment Agency is preparing a long-term strategy for the management of the River Nene and its structures, known as the ‘Nene Water Management Strategy’. We have secured £3.5m funding from central Government to develop the Strategy, which will cover an 88km stretch of the river, running from Northampton to the Whittlesey Washes.


Get involved

We believe that collaboration is the key to success, and therefore we will work in partnership with stakeholders to develop and deliver the Strategy, including local authorities, technical stakeholders, utility companies, non-governmental organisations, universities, and local residents and businesses.

Your contributions are fundamental in ensuring that the Strategy maximises the opportunities for local communities and the environment. We have developed this page to both share updates and seek your inputs to inform the Strategy development. Please subscribe to this project to enable us to provide you with updates.

Please register and subscribe to stay informed. This will enable you to receive notifications when we make updates to the page contents. You can find more information about getting involved by reading the FAQs in the 'How to get involved' section.


Stories Tool

We told you we would be launching the 'Stories' tool on this page during May 2025 - we are pleased to announce the tool is now live!

Please share your stories and memories of the River Nene by clicking on the 'Stories' button at the bottom of this page.


What will the Strategy deliver?

The River Nene, from Northampton to the Whittlesey Washes, has numerous structures, including 38 locks, 39 sluices and 63 weirs. However, most of these structures are ageing and will reach the end of their design life within the next forty years.


The Nene Water Management Strategy will provide a clear direction for the most economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable way to manage the river for the next one hundred years. It will also explore the benefits associated with the existing river management and seek to enhance these in order to contribute to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These benefits could include:

  • ensuring safe navigation;

  • providing sufficient water supplies for homes and businesses;

  • managing flood risk;

  • supporting economic growth;

  • providing access to spaces that can enhance health and wellbeing;

  • contributing to carbon reduction; and

  • improving biodiversity and protecting habitats and wildlife.


The six key benefits that the Nene Water Management Strategy seeks to deliver are: Environment, landscape and biodiversity benefits to support wetland habitat and associated fisheries and biodiversity. Navigation and recreation benefits as structures play a fundamental role in enabling navigation. Growth, tourism and cultural heritage benefits because within the Oxford to Cambridge Pan Regional Partnership Area, the River Nene and its structures support regional growth in terms of water resources, tourism and amenity. Water resources and water quality benefits for communities and businesses, in particular in the agricultural and food sector. Flood risk management benefits as structures in the Lower Nene better protect Peterborough and Fenland areas from tidal inundation. Health, wellbeing and social value benefits because regionally important assets support active travel and health and wellbeing.


Diagram showcasing the benefits and beneficiaries of the Nene Water Management Strategy

Timeline

The following timeline sets out key milestones for the Strategy development, including opportunities for you to share your insights and feedback. Further details about opportunities to participate will be shared in due course.



The engagement programme for the Nene Water Management Strategy, which is divided into four stages: Stage 1 Initiation is ongoing until Spring 2025 and involves launching this project webpage and data gathering. Stage 2 Options Development runs from Spring 2025 to Summer 2026 and involves engaging with stakeholders to discuss possible options. Stage 3 Draft Strategy and Consultation runs from Summer 2026 to Winter 2026 and involves a public consultation to seek feedback on the draft Strategy, associated community drop-in events and analysis and reporting of feedback received. Stage 4 Final Strategy runs from Winter 2026 to Spring 2027 and involves finalisation of the Strategy using feedback received, and publication of the Strategy.of the Strategy.

Approach to developing the Nene Water Management Strategy and key milestones








  • Nene Visit with local MP

    supporting image

    Ben Thornely, Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager along with Paul Henderson and Kelly Mace from the Nene Water Management Strategy project team, recently met with Mike Reader MP in Northampton.

    Mike, who is the Member of Parliament for Northampton South, has shown interest in the development of the Strategy and was keen to learn more about the work being carried out by the Environment Agency.

    The meeting took place within Mike’s constituency, along the scenic banks of the River Nene near Beckett’s Park and the University of Northampton. The visit included a walk through Northampton Marina, providing an opportunity to discuss how the strategy will help manage water resources, reduce flood risk, and support the local environment.

Page last updated: 07 Nov 2025, 11:33 AM