Shropshire farmers shape flood and drought plans
By Beehive Web News
The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme team used this year’s Shropshire County Show to speak directly with farmers, landowners and rural businesses about future flood and drought resilience across the Upper Severn catchment.
More than 40 visitors spoke to the stand team during the show, with discussions focused on the Demonstrator Programme managed by Shropshire Council. The programme is testing how a joined-up approach to water management could reduce flood risk, improve drought resilience and support the wider environment.
County show talks with rural businesses
The Shropshire County Show gave the SVWMS team a face-to-face route into the farming community at a time when land management, flooding and water storage remain practical concerns for rural businesses.
Pete Lambert, SVWMS Demonstrator Programme Manager, said the event allowed the team to answer questions and hear directly about pressures facing farmers and landowners in Shropshire and Powys.
What the Demonstrator Programme is testing
The scheme is looking at a mix of measures, including natural flood management, land use change and engineered solutions where they are appropriate. Its wider aim is to develop a water management strategy for the upper Severn that could also inform similar work elsewhere.
River dredging was one of the most common issues raised at the stand. The team said large-scale dredging can appear straightforward but does not always reduce flood risk and can sometimes disconnect rivers from their floodplains.
That puts more attention on work with natural processes, including approaches similar in principle to wider local nature recovery efforts such as habitat and land recovery plans involving farmers.
Why farmers are being consulted
Farmers and landowners manage much of the land where water is stored, slowed or redirected before it reaches communities downstream. Their experience is central to judging whether proposed measures can work in real fields, with real business pressures.
Tom Dainty, Shropshire Council deputy Cabinet member with responsibility for flooding, said the Demonstrator Programme is exploring practical, nature-based solutions that protect communities while supporting biodiversity and the rural economy.
The SVWMS team was joined at the show by the National Flood Forum, which supports communities at risk of flooding. Further engagement is planned over the coming months as options are developed for a future water management strategy.
Source: Shropshire Council Newsroom
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This article was prepared from Shropshire Council’s newsroom item and checked for named people, scheme details and geographic scope.
- Confirmed the event was the Shropshire County Show in 2026.
- Checked the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme partners and Upper Severn focus from the...
- Verified that Pete Lambert and Tom Dainty were quoted with their stated roles.
- Kept external links out of the article because no approved external editorial links were s...
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- Shropshire Council Newsroom
- Scope
- Shropshire
- Updated
- 2026-05-26 16:45
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