Severn Uplands
- Catchment HostSevern Rivers Trust
- River Basin DistrictSevern
- Management CatchmentSevern Uplands
- Management Catchment ID3076
Catchment partnership vision
Work together across the Anglo-Welsh border to reduce the effects of flooding, drought and pollution in a way that creates a healthy water environment for biodiversity and the local economy.
Related websites
Find out more about the activities and ambitions of this catchment partnership and how you can get involved to help improve the water environment in the catchment.
Catchment challenges
Current challenges identified by partnership
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
Nutrient from rural land management run off is effecting water quality and sedimentation effecting fish spawning areas
Pollution from waste water
Nutrient from waste water impacting on water quality
Pollution from towns, cities and transport
Misconnected drainage, physical modification and highways drainage affect water quality, habitat and biodiversity
Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership
Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
Nutrient and sediment from rural land management run off impacts river ecology and water quality
Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Taking local action in the farmed landscape could help manage, create or habits
Connecting communities with nature
Raising awareness with local communities is essential to inspiring change
Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change
The predicted impacts of climate change need an approach that reduces flood risk, enhances the environment and manages water resources
Future challenges predicted by partnership
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
Changes to the natural flow and water levels
Invasive Non-native Species
Future challenges predicted by Environment Agency
Future challenges in 2050
- Invasive Non-native Species
- Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas
- Changes to the Natural Flow and Water Levels
Emerging challenges
- Changes to the Natural Flow and Water Levels
- Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas
- Pollution from waste water
Partnership success highlights 2016 to 2021
Partnership project work has included: REAction 2 project in Shropshire - partnership working with farmers reducing diffuse and direct pollution sources as well as improving rain water harvesting and water conservation measures. Also improving habitats and fish passage solutions. The Welsh Government funded Nant Allen & Cain (Powys) project working with farmers increasing NFM measures, creating habitat and preventing diffuse and direct source pollutants entering rivers. Also fish habitat restoration planning works with funding from Natural Resources Wales to fund extensive catchment walkovers to assess conditions for fish passage, habitat enhancement, recovery of biodiversity, invasive non-native species management and agricultural opportunities e.g. cattle poaching river banks. Collaboration and contribution to the development of the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme which will adopt a range of measures to reduce flood risk, support the green recovery and deliver environmental improvements.
Partnership development plans
Improving balanced partnership working and representation across the border of Wales and England including with local communities. Better joint funding by Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales across border. Sustainable and consistent development of the whole River Severn Basin catchment partnership, engaging more effectively at strategic level whilst reinforcing the value of local operational catchment partnerships.
Partnership priority actions and measures for 2022 to 2027
Confident
REAction Project – Continuation of this multi partner, multi beneficial, whole catchment approach in the Rea Brook
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Location
- Rea Brook
Confident
Establish a multi partner, multi beneficial, whole catchment approach on the Morda
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Morda and Severn North Shropshire
Confident
Establish a multi partner, multi beneficial, whole catchment approach on the Cound
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Confirmed water industry national environment programme 2020-2025
- Location
- Cound Brook
Confident
Work with the River Severn Partnership in identifying measures to reduce flood risk downstream
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage regulated flows
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Confident
Cross border working - Work with NRW to address failing catchments that cross the Anglo Welsh border
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Confident
Support continued implementation of projects on the Welsh side of the catchment Nant Allen & Cain projects
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Less certain
Manage INNS
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage invasive non-native species
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Specific emphasis and funding targeted at INNS
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Less certain
Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- There needs to be appropriate regulations in place to stop gravel loss
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Less certain
Reduce the impact of agricultural practices on water quality
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Environment Land Management Scheme (future full-scale roll-out)
- Barriers to delivery
- Appropriate regulations and funding to support improvements
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Wider water environment
Peatland Restoration in the Upper catchment
- Reason for measure
- Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Wider water environment
Collaborate, contribute and support the Natural Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy
- Reason for measure
- Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Wider water environment
Understand the wider impacts of soil health on the wider catchment.
- Reason for measure
- Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Severn Uplands
Catchment Partnership contributors
Partners involved in the creation of this page and the actions of the partnership:
- Forestry Commission
- Environment Agency
- Severn Trent Water
- Shropshire Council
- Powys County Council
- Reaseheath College
- The Woodland Trust
- Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust
- Natural Resources Wales
- Shropshire Wildlife Trust
- The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales
- Severn Rivers Trust
- National Flood Forum
- Open Newtown