Householders from Keswick and the surrounding area are involved in 25-year-plans to help flood-proof the area.

Environment Agency experts are involving locals in drawing up the long-term strategy, according to a new report.

On Saturday it will be six months since Storm Desmond hit and the Cumbria Floods Partnership, led by Floods Minister Rory Stewart, is re-examining the river catchments in Cumbria from the source to the sea, to make sure that money spent on the environment, farming, and water supply contributes to flood protection.

The partnership is investigating what actions can be taken upstream to reduce river flows, such as tree-planting and the use of flood storage basins, to supplement downstream actions such as gravel-removal and the construction of flood defences.

The partnership consists of community groups, environmental groups, farming representatives, the Environment Agency, Defra and local authorities.

Over 100 communities across Cumbria have been consulted as the partnership drafts the first version of a 25 year action plan that will combine the expertise and flood modelling capacity of the Environment Agency with the local knowledge of those working the land or living within affected communities.

Amy Heys, the EA’s catchment director for the Eden, said: “I’ve earmarked Braithwaite and the Above Derwent Parish as the location for a pilot that will trial a more inclusive community-based approach to flood risk planning.

“I’ve also been speaking to the Environment Agency, who have commissioned modelling and are working with United Utilities and Keswick Flood Action Group to better understand the impact that Thirlmere has on flood risk in the upper Derwent.”

Mr Stewart, MP for Penrith and the Border, added: “The Cumbria Floods Partnership is at the heart of managing flood risk in the future.

“We are looking at how we manage flood risk from source to sea with new catchment directors using the best local expertise and knowledge to better protect our communities.”