Project at brook aimed at reducing the flood risk to homes, businesses and roads continues

Work at the Guilsfield Brook began in spring 2022, is led by the Severn Rivers Trust and is one of the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) demonstrator projects - managed by Shropshire Council under the River Severn Partnership.

Shropshire Council says the project is using natural flood management to reduce flood risk to a number of homes as well as the B4392 and A490 roads.

Adding that it will also provide information on the economic benefits of soil and water management on rural land.

The local authority said that working with landowners has provided “helpful learning and information” on the potential value of future environmental management within farm businesses.

The county council said that findings from the project will be “vital to developing the wider SVWMS which will incorporate catchment-based approaches to reduce flood risk for up to 3,000 properties and 1,000 businesses across the upper and middle Severn”.

The SVWMS is a partnership between the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Powys County Council and Shropshire Council with the intention to tackle flooding, support thriving communities and create resilient environments through sustainable and holistic water management.

Programme manager for the Severn Rivers Trust, Matt Marston said: “Our work along the Guilsfield Brook catchment has involved installing a suite of interventions on farmland in the catchment to support flood risk reduction by increasing the time it takes for rainwater to reach our river network.

“Our monitoring shows that these solutions, such as our ‘cut and drop’ leaky dams, where we have used natural woody material to create dams that silt up naturally, to slow the watercourse and create a more controlled release, are already working.

“We are also working with farmers on soil management. Measures such as sward lifting, which allows more oxygen into grassroots, which helps absorb rainfall and reduce waterlogging of fields. This can also have benefit for farm businesses as it can increase grass growth and reduce irrigation and fertiliser costs.”

Meanwhile, co-chair of the River Severn Partnership, Mark Barrow welcomed the findings, adding: “It’s important that the project demonstrates what we mean by nature-based solutions, how these measures are delivered and the benefits and impacts that they may have for people, the environment and landowners. 

“We’ve made a good start in the Guilsfield Brook and have started gathering this information to report back at the end of the project with a view to up-scaling if future funding can be secured."

Councillor Jackie Charlton - Powys County Council Cabinet member for a Greener Powys - said: “The work being carried out at the Guilsfield Brook will accelerate testing and learning around nature-based responses to climate resilience and adaptation. The information and observations from the project will be valuable when applied to the development of the River Severn Water Management Scheme.