River Severn on flood alert

Monday 17th January 2011, 11:00AM GMT.

The river footpath near the weir in Shrewsbury on Monday, January 17

The River Severn in Shropshire was on the verge of breaking its banks today after a deluge of heavy rain across the county over the weekend.

A flood alert has been issued by the Environment Agency for the river and the Severn Vyrnwy Confluence, warning people to be prepared as flooding is possible.

A spokeswoman for the EA said its highest gauge in Shropshire at Crew Green, near Shrewsbury, was peaking at 5.6m this morning.

The river in Shrewsbury was expected to peak at about 2.7m tonight, the Agency said.

The town’s Frankwell car park was closed today, causing snarl ups around the town. Officials say it will not reopen until river levels recede.

The river was also heavily swollen at Ironbridge throughout the weekend.

The rising water levels reached benches and bins on the riverbank in the Gorge, but caused no damage.

Visitors found some of the lowest riverside footpaths in Ironbridge were impassable due to the water.

In Mid Wales however, things were today getting back to normality with the Dyfi Bridge in Machynlleth re-opening to traffic.

But three flood alerts remain in place for the Upper Severn, River Wye and Dyfi Catchment. Powys County Council said it was reporting no road closures today.

An EA spokesman said they were expecting the situation to ease in Shropshire with the Met Office predicting a dry spell over the next few days.

She said: “The river will peak in Shrewsbury tonight which is still a flood alert but we are not expecting much more rain over the next few days.

“We are not planning to put up the flood defences but we will keep an eye on the situation.”

View more: Ironbridge news, River Severn news, Shrewsbury news.

1
Colin.D.

January 17, 2011 at 11:46

See, I knew they should have fenced it off.

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- Jimmy swinton
  
  January 17, 2011 at 12:58
  
  I’ve got a fence around my back garden – don’t think it would stop a flood though!!!
  
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2
Darren

January 17, 2011 at 12:39

Frankwell carpark shut causing snarl ups…
Hence the need for the North West Relief Road!

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- julian
  
  January 17, 2011 at 13:16
  
  Apologies if your comment is intended to by ironic… because the relief road would be a great place to park during the day!!?
  
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3
Jimmy swinton

January 17, 2011 at 12:56

Darren, opening frankwell carpark is not going to make all that nasty river water go away!

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4
Jimmy swinton

January 17, 2011 at 12:59

The water should be stopped before it gets to Shrewsbury, the river should be dammed in north wales!

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- Jeffrey Borra
  
  January 17, 2011 at 13:33
  
  why should the Welsh have all the fun?
  
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- Shrek
  
  January 17, 2011 at 13:41
  
  Jimmy which river in North Wales should we dam. I think you will find that the source of the Severn is on Plynlimon, Mid Wales.
  
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  - KarenK
    
    January 19, 2011 at 10:21
    
    Why would you want to dam it as source? There wouldn’t be much dam would there, surely you would want to dam it when there was more water around downstream?
    
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5
Hayley

January 17, 2011 at 20:25

Flood defences anyone? I think we have some, obviously not enough.

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