Teme Catchment Partnership
Catchment partnership vision
Our vision is to see healthy functioning rivers flowing through a balanced living landscape, cherished by all in the Teme catchment
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
Sedimentation of fish spawning areas and nutrient loading from agricultural pollutants; flood and drought conditions in the upper catchment
Pollution from waste water
Impact of sewage treatment works on water quality
Pollution from towns, cities and transport
Road runoff impacting on water quality
Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership
Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
Elevated soil erosion, compaction and associated diffuse pollution and sedimentation
Improved shellfish waters
Halt and reverse the state of declining freshwater pearl mussels in the Clun Special area of conservation and improve water quality and habitat
Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Making space for nature in the farmed landscape and countryside through engagement with landowners and agricultural businesses and communities
Connecting communities with nature
Raising and awareness and understanding of river systems and the natural environment is key to leveraging support
Future challenges predicted by partnership
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
Pollution from waste water
Changes to the natural flow and water levels
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
A range of partnership projects are being undertaken across the catchments:
- River Corve River Restoration Project and River Clun lead by Shropshire Council with Shropshire Wildlife Trust, National Flood Forum, University of Cardiff, University of Worcester undertaking and monitoring natural flood management
- ‘Unlocking the Severn’ - River Teme (confluence with the Severn to Tenbury) led by Canal and River Trust with Natural England, Environment Agency, Severn Rivers Trust restoring the natural range of Alosa fallax associated with the Severn Estuary Special Area of Conservation
- Knighton Natural Flood Management - installing leaky woody structures, wetlands and other land management and biodiversity improvements with Powys Council, Environment Agency, Severn Rivers Trust, Welsh Government
- WEGTOC - Worked with farmers to find opportunities to improve infrastructure and change land management practices, underpinned by a need to reduce diffuse agricultural pollution to surface water
- Upper Teme and Kyre Brook NFM - Landowner engagement and delivery of water quality and natural flood management measures in the Upper Teme and Kyre Brook
Partnership development plans
We will continue to work towards:
- a balanced partnership working across the border of England and Wales to deliver projects that improve the wider catchment
- working to engage more effectively at strategic level with the River Severn Partnership whilst reinforcing the value of local operational catchment partnerships
- establishing a balanced and focused steering group
- better working with local communities to understand their relationship, concerns and local knowledge
- providing opportunities to share best practice and information effectively within and outside of the partnership
Partnership priority actions and measures for 2022 to 2027
Confident
Identification and removal of remaining barriers to fish passage on SSSI
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Laughern Bk - source to conf R Teme Clun - source to conf Folly Bk Kemp - source to conf R Clun
Confident
Stepping Stones - Landscape scale approach to conservation, linking wetland, woodland, heath, grassland and wildlife-rich hedgerows
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Green Recovery Challenge Fund/Challenge Fund
- Location
- Quinny Bk - source to conf R Onny
Confident
Improved soil management and reduced sedimentation of rivers
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Landscape Recovery (ELMS)
- Location
- Teme Lower
Confident
Delivery of NFM interventions in England and Wales
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Teme Upper
Confident
Nature recovery, land management, carbon and sequestration in the Uplands
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Other philanthropic/charitable/trust funds
- Location
- Teme Upper
Confident
Habitat restoration intervention and fish passage easements on the River Corve
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Confirmed water industry national environment programme 2020-2025
- Location
- Corve - conf Seifton Bk to conf R Teme Corve - source to conf unnamed trib Corve - conf unnamed trib to conf Seifton Bk
Less certain
SINNSI: Manage Invasive Non-native Species
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage invasive non-native species
- Delivery mechanism
- Confirmed water industry national environment programme 2020-2025
- Barriers to delivery
- Identify priority areas and options
- Location
- Clun River
Less certain
Fisheries habitat improvements and monitoring for salmonids
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Develop project design and secure funding
- Location
- Teme
Less certain
Reconnect floodplain habitats
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- EA Flood/coastal risk management programme
- Barriers to delivery
- Further project development needed
- Location
- Teme
Less certain
Restoring the wetland and peatland habitats in the Uplands
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Climate for Nature funds
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding opportunities
- Location
- Clun River
Less certain
Understanding water management requirements in the catchment to improve low flows
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage abstractions
- Delivery mechanism
- None identified
- Barriers to delivery
- Stakeholder collaboration to understand causes and solutions
- Location
- Teme Lower
Wider water environment
Work with landowners and farmers to improve soil health
- Reason for measure
- Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
- Delivery mechanism
- Environment Land Management Scheme (future full-scale roll-out)
- Location
- Teme Upper Clun River
Wider water environment
Improve the habitat and status of freshwater pearl mussels
- Reason for measure
- Improved shellfish waters
- Delivery mechanism
- None identified
- Location
- Clun River
Wider water environment
Water company demo on the Teme to deliver water quality improvements necessary for a bathing quality river
- Reason for measure
- Improved bathing waters (including inland)
- Delivery mechanism
- Confirmed water industry national environment programme 2020-25
- Location
- Teme Lower
Catchment Partnership contributors
Partners involved in the creation of this page and the actions of the partnership: