Long term plans for flood hit Severn communities
Plans to remove pavements and hard surfaces from flooded out towns along the River Severn will help reduce the risk to over 4,000 homes and businesses, experts say.
The Environment Agency says it is considering a range of natural flood defence interventions for the Severn in a bid to reduce the impact of flooding down-river – including ripping out paved areas and replacing them with more permeable surfaces.
Now, residents in Shropshire and North Powys will run the rule over a long term plan to reduce flooding on the river this month after the agency launched a consultation on its plans, set to run until May.
Man-made dams and restored peat bogs are among options being considered to retain water in the hills and valleys of the Severn catchment areas, with a focus on retaining water up-stream and “slowing the flow” of water running into the river to reduce flood surges down-stream.
A document accompanying the proposals also outlines the use of temporary “flood water storage areas”, which reduce flooding downstream by capturing incoming flood flows and releasing them downstream at a slower, more controlled rate.
