Agency warns of threat to flows

Shropshire wildlife could come under threat, water quality be reduced and agriculture affected if river flow levels drop massively by 2050 as climate change takes hold, experts warned today.

The Environment Agency has warned that the river flow could drop by between 50 per cent and 80 per cent in some places across the country as climate change puts increasing stress on the water environment over the time period.

Today environmental experts at Shropshire County Council described the prediction as "disturbing" and warned that such a massive drop could have a "significant" impact on Shropshire.

The Environment Agency has produced a series of maps showing future monthly changes in river flows across England and Wales, which it says is a first for the UK.

It says the research is "crucial" in helping to plan for future water resources management.

The work used climate projections from the UK Climate Impacts Programme and shows that by 2050 river flows in winter might rise by 10 per cent to 15 per cent, however river flows in the late summer and early autumn could drop by as much as 80 per cent in some places.

John Harrison, head of the sustainability group at Shropshire County Council, said: "The River Severn has been an essential part of Shropshire's landscape and economy for centuries.

"It provides water for us to drink, water for agriculture and is home to a diverse range of wildlife including salmon, kingfishers and otters.

"The disturbing prediction that summer flows could fall by a massive 50 per cent to 80 per cent could have a significant impact on Shropshire. This must be taken into account in shaping Shropshire for future generations."

Rachel Strivens, senior sustainability officer at the county, said that such a fall in river flow could have a major impact on salmon, which are spawning at this time of year.

She added: "The less water we've got in the river generally the poorer the quality is because you get more concentrated pollution.

"If you affect one part of the food chain it has a knock-on effect right through the chain because each thing feeds on something else.

"We've got a lot of protected species in the River Severn so that will have an impact. During the summer months there will also be a big impact on agriculture."