SRA Annual Report 2024-25: Local flood risk management measures
A partnership project designed to reduce local flood risks across Somerset by investigating problems, assessing possible remedies and taking action. It’s led by Wessex Water and Somerset Council as partners in Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA), and funded by the SRA (75%) and Wessex Water (25%). Somerset Council contributes staff time.
In 2024-25, the project’s first year, 22 flooding issues were looked at. At five locations – in Bridgwater, Chedzoy, Highbridge, Taunton and Wellington – problems were dealt with through business-as-usual activities or separate external projects.
Three places were judged to require bigger, more co-ordinated measures. So three individual schemes were brought forward for joint funding by Wessex Water and the SRA, through the SRA’s Enhanced Programme of works for 2025-26, at Penarth Road and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Bridgwater, Lower Keyford in Frome, and Watchet town centre.
Investigations are continuing at 14 places within Bridgwater, Chard, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Creech St Michael, Drayton, Fiddington, Taunton, Wellington, Wiveliscombe, Wookey, Woolston and Yeovil.
These places all have problems which could benefit from being addressed by more than one organisation. SRA funding that enables a range of SRA partners to work together on local priorities is intended to produce better, more integrated results for local people and local environments.