Minister visits reservoir to discuss ways to prevent River Severn floods in Shropshire

Floods Minister, Rebecca Pow made the fact-finding trip to Clywedog reservoir on Friday, accompanied by Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams

Campaigners say keeping both the Clywedog and Vyrnwy reservoirs at lower levels could prevent overtopping of the dams during heavy rain, which exacerbates flooding along the River Severn.

Two years ago record river levels caused extreme floods in Shrewsbury and Ironbridge Gorge, and led to thousands of acres of farmland in Shropshire and Mid Wales being submerged for months.

The Defra minister met with representatives from Severn Trent, United Utilities, Natural Resources Wales, the Environment Agency, and representatives from the Clywedog/Vyrnwy Liaison Group for a roundtable meeting to discuss how flooding in Montgomeryshire during periods of heavy rain appears to be exacerbated by the drawdown and overtopping of the reservoirs.

The liaison group says reservoir operating rules should be fully reviewed in light of changing weather patterns to allow the reservoirs to be kept at a lower level.

Ms Pow stressed the meeting was a fact-finding mission.

"There has to be a balance between looking at how to deal with times of flood, along the entire length of the Severn, but also to ensure that there is a continued supply of water at all times to those communities downstream. We can not risk the loss of a water supply in dry spells," she said.

"I visited some areas that flooded two years ago and saw the problems caused. Any suggestions will have to go through a modelling process to see what the effect could be."

She said it was a complex task that was being looked at as a whole.

"We have already given funding to look at other schemes such as a natural, flood management scheme for the Guilsfield Brook."

Mr Williams said it was wonderful to welcome a UK government minister to Mid Wales.

"The Severn Valley Partnership has the backing of 47 MPs in both Wales and England," he said.