Almost one year on from the floods of Summer 2007, the Environment Agency is inviting people to comment on plans for flood management across the entire River Severn catchment, including many of its tributaries.

 

The Severn Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP) consultation document was issued for consultation last week. It gives an overview of the existing flood risk across the catchment and sets out how the Environment Agency would like to manage the risk over the next 50 to 100 years. 

 

The Severn CFMP covers an area of approximately 11000 km2.  Major tributaries include the Rivers Vyrnwy, Roden, Tern, Teme, Leadon, Warwickshire Avon and Stour. The main urban areas of the catchment include Shrewsbury, Telford and the Black Country, Kidderminster, Worcester and Gloucester.

 

Although much of the land use within the River Severn CFMP area is agricultural, it is also home to around 2.3 million people.  Major areas are at risk from river flooding, including Shrewsbury, Worcester, Tewkesbury and Gloucester, as well as towns on tributary rivers such as Leamington Spa, Evesham and Kidderminster.  In addition there are significant areas of agricultural land located in floodplain that are subject to flooding.  The CFMP identifies the locations currently at risk and predicts how this might change in the future with scenarios such as climate change, urban development and changes in land use.

 

The CFMP considers ways of reducing flood risk other than building flood defences. Measures that may reduce flood risk include reducing surface water run off, increasing flood storage, and restoring river channels and floodplains so they work more naturally and store water as they have done historically.

 

It also considers the factors that may limit what can be done.  They include the danger to isolated properties, new economic and residential developments that can cause flooding elsewhere, and changes in land use and water quality.

Project Manager, Jo Jolly, said:

 

“We need to plan for the future. Flooding is a natural event, but issues such as climate change and the way we want to use our land affect flood risks and how we manage them. This study, using our technical experience, knowledge of the catchment and modern computer models, explains how flooding affects the catchment now and the policies we have set will enable us to make sure that we manage the risks in ways that will not cause problems for future generations.”

 

Comments and responses on the draft consultation document (available at www.environment-agency.gov.uk) should be sent to: Jo Jolly, National Capital Programme Management Service, Environment Agency, Olton Court, 10 Warwick Road, Olton, Solihull, West Midlands, B92 7HX; email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 4 July 2008.