Solent Catchment Hub

The Solent's waters are part of a far wider network of water environments, and to manage water related issues effectively we need to take a wholescale approach to the water environment. To help achieve this, the Solent Forum has developed good reciprocal working relationships with the four main river Catchment Partnerships that drain into the Solent's transitional and coastal waters.

• New Forest Catchment Partnership
• Test and Itchen Catchment Partnership
• East Hampshire Catchment Partnership
• Island Rivers

The Solent Forum and the four catchment partnerships are currently working on submitting consultation responses to the Environment Agency's River Basin and Flood Risk Management Plan consultations.

River Basin Management (RBMP) and Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMP)

River basin management plans (RBMPs) set out how organisations, stakeholders and communities will work together to improve the water environment. The South East river basin district covers over 10,200km2 and extends from Hampshire in the west to Kent in the east. It includes East and West Sussex, the Isle of Wight and parts of Wiltshire and Surrey. In total over 3.5 million people live and work in the south east, which is densely populated and includes the major urban centres of Southampton, Portsmouth, Ashford, Brighton and Hove.

FRMPs set out how to manage significant flood risk in nationally identified flood risk areas, of which there are two in the Solent area - Southampton and Portsmouth. 

These plans also help to direct and deliver Environment Agency investment programmes.

RBMP Update 2022

The South East river basin district (RBD) river basin management plan describes the challenges that threaten the water environment and how these challenges can be managed.

The documents, data and maps that make up the South East river basin management plan were updated in 2022, they can be viewed at: South East river basin district river basin management plan: updated 2022.