Ditch blocking project to help water management across historic estate
Ditch blocking underway – click here to watch the full video
Work is underway at Attingham Park to help restore natural water processes and reduce flood risk as part of the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) Demonstrator Programme.
The latest intervention at Fox Culvert involves blocking sections of historic drainage ditches to help hold water in the landscape for longer.
Pete Lambert, the SVWMS demonstrator project manager, said:-
“For many years, ditches were dug across farmland to move water away from fields as quickly as possible. While this improved drainage, it also meant water reached rivers faster during periods of heavy rainfall.
“Ditch blocking works by slowing that process down. Small structures are installed within selected ditches to reduce the speed of water flow, allowing water to spread naturally across the surrounding land and soak into the ground. This helps the landscape store more water and reduces pressure on rivers and the landscape during peak flows.”
The work at Fox Culvert is one of a number of nature-based solutions being delivered across the National Trust’s Attingham Estate. Alongside wetland creation, pond restoration, tree planting and woody debris barriers, the measures are designed to slow the flow of water through the catchment, helping to reduce flood risk while creating better conditions for wildlife.
Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury, sits between the Rivers Severn and Tern, where flooding can affect farmland, local communities and visitor access. By holding more water higher up in the catchment, these interventions can help make the landscape more resilient to extreme weather while supporting the National Trust’s wider plans for nature recovery across the estate.
As well as helping with water management, ditch blocking can create wetter habitats that benefit insects, birds, amphibians and other wildlife.
Tom Dainty, Shropshire Council deputy Cabinet member with responsibility for flooding, said:-
“The approach shows how relatively small changes, delivered in the right places, can work together to provide wider benefits for nature, farming and flood resilience.”
The Attingham Demonstrator Project is one of eight projects being supported through the SVWMS and managed by Shropshire Council. The lessons learned will help partners understand how nature-based solutions can be used more widely across the River Severn catchment to improve water management, support biodiversity and build resilience to future climate change.
