Shropshire river levels drop perilously low
Water levels on Shropshire's rivers have dropped perilously low due to the dry summer.
The River Severn is just 38cms deep at Buildwas, near Ironbridge, when it should be at least 42cms. It is 48cms deep at Bridgnorth where its lowest typical level is 52cms. Water depth at the Welsh Bridge in Shrewsbury has dropped to 45cms – fractionally above its lowest typical level of 42cms.
Sections of the River Teme have almost dried up both upstream and downstream of Ludlow – just weeks before hundreds of salmon are expected to begin their annual migration.
Environment Agency officials have blamed the falling depths on the dry summer and said rainfall is being soa-ked up by soil before it reaches rivers.
They have pledged to monitor the situation on the Teme in a bid to avoid a repeat of two years ago, when hundreds of fish were trapped in water too shallow for them to leap over weirs on the annual trip upstream to spawn. In July hundreds of fish had to be rescued from the Upper Teme, near Leintwardine, after sections of the river ran dry.
Dave Throup, Environment Agency manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: "We are keeping an eye on the Upper Teme around Stannage and Leintwardine – it has almost dried up again. The river is also very low at Ashford Carbonell south of Ludlow."
But reservoirs in the county have not been affected. Severn Trent officials said water levels remain "healthy".
Sarah McArthur, spokesman for Severn Trent Water, said: "Currently our water resources are in a healthy position. Across the region, our reservoirs are more than 75 per cent full and groundwater levels and flows in major rivers are in the normal range for the time of year.
"Our customers are continuing to use water wisely and, as we promised earlier this year, we don't expect to place any restrictions on water use this year."
