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This consultation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to develop a strategy to reduce flood risk, while providing wide-ranging benefits for people and the environment across the Upper Severn.

Data analyses have helped recognise weather patterns and make predictions over likely climate changes in the future.  This data indicates that to reduce flood risk to communities, up to 100 million cubic metres of water will need to be temporarily stored during flood events - equivalent to 40,000 Olympic swimming pools.

Identifying where water is temporarily stored, how much, and for how long has been critical to understanding what is possible.

 Meeting this challenge will require a combination of natural and engineered solutions, such as temporary water storage areas tailored to the unique needs of each area.

 The SVWMS is committed to working closely with everyone affected, listening to experiences, and understanding local priorities and concerns. People are urged to have their say during the consultation which runs from 17 December 2025 to 11 March 2026.

Delivered by a partnership and working with the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Powys County Council, and Shropshire Council, SVWMS is determined to find the right balance between nature-based and engineered interventions.

The SVWMS has pledged every solution will be designed to be sensitive to local needs and to deliver the greatest possible benefit for people, nature, and the local economy. The aim is to build a more resilient, vibrant, and prosperous Upper Severn for generations to come.

Consultation events will be held across the catchment, and materials will be available online and in local libraries and leisure centres.

Feedback from this consultation will directly inform the development of the draft strategy, which will be subject to further consultation in 2026. 

 Further information, consultation materials, and feedback forms will be available at: www.severnvalleywatermanagementscheme.commonplace.is

Enquiries and comments can be directed to SVWMS@environment-agency.gov.uk