People urged to visit Severn Valley Water Management Scheme drop-in in Oswestry

The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) is building on the success of three previous community drop-in information sessions and visiting Oswestry on Monday 13 January.

The SVWMS is an initiative led by a partnership of the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Powys County Council and Shropshire Council which aims to enhance water management and create resilient environments across the Upper Severn catchment.

Residents, businesses and landowners along the upper Severn Valley are being invited find out more about how the scheme plans to manage water and enhance communities in the area.

Three sessions have already been held in Powys and have been very well attended with the team reporting a wide range of audience interest and some interesting and informative discussions being held.

The team will be in Oswestry at Oswestry Memorial Hall, on Smithfield Street, from 2pm to 7pm on Monday 13 January and are hoping to engage with more people to learn from their experiences and gather informal opinion ahead of more technical consultation scheduled for 2025.

Ian Nellins Shropshire Council Cabinet member for climate and the environment, said:-

“The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme represents a significant step forward in our efforts to protect communities and enhance our natural environment.  This project not only addresses the immediate flood risks but also supports biodiversity and our fight against climate change.

“We encourage everyone to participate in the community information drop-in to learn more about the positive impacts this scheme will bring and especially as the SVWMS is delivering one of its Demonstrator Projects, the Morda Depave, in the town.

“This is an opportunity to come along and speak to the project managers about how they are looking to work with Shropshire Wildlife Trust to make Oswestry’s urban public spaces water-friendly.”

The Morda Depave project focuses on adapting urban spaces by implementing green infrastructure such as green roofs, tree pits, rain gardens, and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). These features help increase water permeability, which means they allow water to soak into the ground more easily, reducing surface water flooding and improving climate resilience.

The project is one of many Demonstrator Projects helping inform the wider SVWMS goal of bringing numerous benefits to communities and businesses across the Severn catchment in England and Wales, including:

• Improved Flood Risk Management: By implementing a combination of measures, the project will help slow the flow of water upstream, reducing the risk of flooding in downstream areas.

• Enhanced Biodiversity: The project will contribute to halting biodiversity decline by creating and improving habitats such as wetlands, reed beds, and woodlands. This will support a diverse range of plant and animal species.

• Climate Resilience: The regenerative approach of the SVWMS will positively contribute to addressing the climate crisis by enhancing the natural environment’s ability to absorb and store carbon.

• Social Value: The project will engage local communities and involve them in the decision-making process, fostering a sense of ownership and stewardship over the natural environment.

• Economic Benefits: By improving water management and reducing flood risks, the project can protect local businesses and infrastructure, contributing to the overall economic resilience of the region.

The project is investigating a combination of sustainable land use management, in conjunction with current land uses, up-scaled nature-based solutions, and sensitive engineering methods to improve flood risk resilience and water management in the catchment area.

The drop-in session is free to attend and no appointment is necessary.

People can also keep up to date with progress of the scheme and all the latest news and events by viewing the new SVWMS website, which seeks feedback from those with an interest in the scheme.

About the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS)

Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) is led by a partnership of the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Shropshire Council and Powys County Council.

It has been developed in response to significant flooding of the River Severn in recent decades which has damaged homes and businesses, impacted local infrastructure and disrupted travel. This project aims to better protect over 3,000 homes and 1,000 businesses from flood risk across the upper Severn catchment in England and Wales.

The project also seeks to support the management of long-term water resources, with recent periods of prolonged dry weather having resulted in the need for action to minimise the environmental damage from low water flows. As an example of these extremes, in 2022 the Upper Severn catchment went from winter flooding to drought within the space of 8 months, with groundwater and reservoir stores being used to support the people and wildlife who depend on the water supply provided by the Severn.

To help address these issues, the SVWMS is adopting a regenerative approach, meaning that interventions will seek to positively contribute to addressing the climate crisis and halting biodiversity decline, whilst also providing significant flood risk benefits. It will investigate interventions including natural flood risk management measures that slow the flow of water upstream such as the creation of leaky dams and other land management practices, as well as engineered solutions such as the construction of flood storage areas and embankments.