A draft action plan for the next twenty years to address flooding issues on the Somerset Levels which will be submitted to the Government later today could cost in excess of £100 million, according to a report on BBC News this morning.

The Somerset Levels and Moors 20 Year Action Plan has been co-ordinated by Somerset County Council and overseen by an Executive Group of Somerset’s local authorities and agencies, chaired by Defra.

The Executive group consists of:

South Somerset District Council, Sedgemoor District Council, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Somerset County Council, Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Board, Local Enterprise Partnership and the RSPB representing the voluntary sector.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson had asked the Group to deliver a "single, overarching plan" to  guide water and land management policies and investment on Somerset's Levels and moors.

The Plan will focus on achieving the vision set out by the Somerset ‘Task Force’ established in November 2012 what the Somerset Levels and Moors might look like in 2030.

In addition to dredging on the levels, which has already been given the go-ahead for when ground conditions start to improve, other measures in the plan include the construction of a tidal barrier across the River Parrett downstream of Bridgewater and raising the levels of some roads.  According to BBC News this morning, the proposals could cost in excess of £100 million.

The proposed measures are set out in the following four separate themes:

Dredging and River Management

This theme covers all aspects of river channel capacity i.e. i) management and maintenance of the channel (including dredging and pumping) ii) existing and potential new control structures (including tidal control e.g. barrier or sluice) iii) flow management (e.g. spillways, channel modifications, relief channels) and flood protection for communities or individual locations.

Land Management

This theme includes the actions required to better manage the land to improve drainage. The ideas are wide ranging and include improving soil management, the introduction of farm-scale ponds and banks to intercept the water before it reaches the Levels; the creation of new wetland areas; woodland planting; and adapting floodplain farming.

Urban Run-off

This theme focuses on reducing the run-off in urban areas, and therefore the flood risk; and reviewing the appropriateness of emerging and adopted planning policies in Somerset for dealing with flood risk in the light of current events and programme amendments where required.

Infrastructure Resilience

This will include the actions needed  to minimise the risk of disruption to the area’s road and rail networks, sewage systems and power and water supplies, as a result of flooding.

Community and Business Resilience

This theme includes the actions that will help local people help themselves and each other to reduce the risk and impact of flooding to their homes, work places, farms and communities e.g. better broadband

Economics, Funding and Future Governance

Ideas in this theme relate to understanding the consequential cost of flooding; the cost of preventing flooding; how the work will be funded, and who should manage and be accountable for future delivery.