Understanding and improving all aspects of water within the Adur and Ouse catchment
Learn More
The Issues
From pollution and flooding to habitat loss and climate change, our rivers face growing pressures. Find out what’s affecting the Adur and Ouse catchment.
Explore the Catchment
Discover the rivers, streams, landscapes and communities that make up the Adur and Ouse catchment.
Get Involved
There are lots of ways to help improve our rivers and water environment. Find out how you can get involved.
What is a catchment?
A catchment is an area of land where water drains into the same river, stream or estuary. The Adur and Ouse catchment stretches from the South Downs to the sea, bringing together rivers, streams, wetlands, farmland, towns and communities. Everything that happens across this landscape can affect our water. How we use the land, manage rainfall and protect habitats all play a part in the health of our rivers.
A healthy catchment means healthier rivers, better places for wildlife and more resilient communities.
Our Areas of Work
Coastal Waters
The estuaries and marine environment provide precious habitats and a range of benefits. Find out more about our aims for the central Sussex Coast.
Natural Flood Management
How we work with nature and natural processes across the catchment to reduce the risk of flooding to local communities in our area.
Groundwater
Find out more about how we are supporting the protection of water in the aquifers of the South Downs, a vital supply of drinking water.
Latest News
Read moreSussex Flow Initiative Report 2021/22
reating a resilient Ouse Catchment: The Sussex Flow Initiative has published it’s end of year report that outlines the amount of work delivered this year. A few highlights from 2021/22: We influenced approximately 1,187 hectares of land, and advised on a total 3,328.4 hectares. We created 286 leaky dams across the Ouse Catchment. The series … Continued
Volunteering Opportunities with SFI
Lots of opportunities to get out and get involved in Natural Flood Management with the Sussex Flow Initiative. For more information, dates and to sign up click here
Historical Moment for Rivers?
We now have a new Environment Act. It’s not the best Act we wanted for the environment, but it is a better Act – and that is largely thanks to you. If you’d sat us down a year ago and told us that The Environment Act would contain an entire chapter on sewage pollution, we wouldn’t have believed you. Thanks … Continued