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Landscape Types : River Floodplain Landscapes
4.0 River Floodplain Landscapes
The largest rivers within the AONB are the Arun, Adur, Ouse and Cuckmere which flow southwards from the Weald towards the coast. These rivers have carved down through the chalk plateau to form broad fairly deep valleys (ref. principal chalk valleys). Their floodplains provide a strikingly different landscape character which contrasts with the exposed rolling qualities of the surrounding chalk uplands.
In a couple of places, towards the north of the AONB, the valleys of the Arun and the Ouse broaden out and their floodplain widens to include a more extensive area of drained pastures and water meadows, the brooks pastures of Amberley Wild Brooks and the Lewes Brooks.
The narrow, minor river floodplains of the West Sussex Rother and the Upper Arun provide a further contrast in scale and landscape character.
In summary, the river floodplain landscapes of the AONB are defined by the following landscape types:
• Brooks pastures
• Principal river floodplains
• Minor river floodplains
