Making sense of nature-based flood mitigation: A levers framework for conceptualizing and communicating natural flood management (NFM)

Abstract Natural flood management (NFM) offers a sustainable alternative to traditional flood mitigation by harnessing natural processes to slow and attenuate floods. This paper introduces a biogeomorphic levers framework to conceptualize NFM across three spatial scales; channels and reaches, valleys and corridors, and tributaries and catchments. By identifying geomorphic and vegetative elements that can be manipulated to enhance hydraulic roughness and deliver flood mitigation, the framework provides a practical tool for implementation and communication. The article provides an overview of the challenges of scaling NFM for different flood magnitudes and offers a reality check for practitioners and decision-makers. This forum reframes NFM as a nature-based, multi-scalar strategy for the 21st century.