SRA Annual Report 2025-26: Natural Flood Management schemes across Somerset
Twenty-one NFM schemes were completed during 2025-26, funded wholly or in part by Somerset Rivers Authority.
They included ponds, scrapes, leaky dams and bunds.
Grouped by Somerset river catchment, schemes were:
Brent Knoll, Axe catchment
At least four properties were flooded in Brent Knoll in 2023 and 2024, partly because water was running down the footpath from the Knoll, into the church and down the road. To reduce this flow, a hedge was cut back and coppiced to allow for access to a ditch, a cascade of leaky dams and flow spreaders was created in the ditch, along with three flow spreaders in a field, and three in the forest above the field.
Brent Knoll Parish Council’s view: “really pleased with the results”.
Cole, Cole Manor, Brue catchment
To help roads and properties downstream, 400m3 of water storage capacity was created by removing 650 tons of silt from the manor house pond, which is part of a leat system connected to the River Pitt.
The owner’s view: “thrilled… will make a Big Difference towards mitigating any possible flooding in the future”.
East Pennard, Brue catchment
A pond was desilted and made bigger at the source of the Bradley Brook, in the grounds of Hill Farm along Middleway Road, to help reduce flood risks to five properties in Coxbridge and West Bradley, and to help preserve road access. A 65-centimetre high masonry weir with a trickle outlet was also built in front of the pond’s curent outlet, to help the pond retain up to 500m3 of water during periods of heavy rain. The applicant also re-gravelled the track near the pond, and pledged to keep livestock out of the yard nearby, to help reduce future pond sedimentation.
Landowner’s view: “Completed work far above and beyond spec… the holding capacity is much larger than originally planned.”
Cranmore, Somerset Frome catchment
After homes and a business were flooded during Storm Henk, local residents approached the SRA’s community team, they involved FWAG SW’s SRA-funded community NFM advisor, and moves were then made to reduce the flow of surface water from farmland upstream of the village. Land close to a farm gate on the edge of Cranmore was regraded with a bund and leaky outlet, and another bund up to seven feet high with a trickle outlet was built further up the catchment.
Landowner’s view: “a good impact on the danger of flooding. I’ve had several people in the village say thank you for doing it”.
Friggle Street, Emblems Farm, Somerset Frome catchment
Five scrapes were dug out and two existing low-lying areas accentuated to increase water storage by around 650m3. Pipes were fitted into four of the new attenuation features, and land drains excavated, to help further slow the flow of water into nearby ditches. The aim: to benefit roads and residential areas in and around the Wallbridge area of Frome. The site was identified as a prime one for NFM in 2017.
Landowner’s view: “The attenuation features and scrapes immediately did what we set out for them to do, as observed on site and monitoring cameras.”
Witham Friary, Heal, Somerset Frome catchment
The SRA part-funded a series of works to create large amounts of natural water storage in three areas within the headwaters of the River Frome and reduce flood risks for 13 properties and local roads. In total, 1000 metres of waterways were reconnected to their floodplains, with six ditches blocked or filled in, two pilot channels made, five scrapes, and dozens of flow spreaders and bunds. Old plastic drainage pipes were broken up and removed. The Environment Agency also provided significant funding.
“We now have natural streams and pools of water forming in areas of land that were previously drained and ditched. It has been truly magical to watch the works come to life over the winter, slowing the flow of water through the land and attracting species such as Snipe and Lapwing to feed.”
Daniel Hill, Heal Rewilding
Cothelstone, Cothelstone Road, Tone catchment
An old 500m2 Mill Pond in Cothelstone was de-silted and a new sluice outlet installed, to help reduce local flooding, especially along Cothelstone Road on the edge of the Quantocks.
Landowner’s view: “working well at present”.
Culmstock, Overlands Farm, Tone catchment
Two interlinked schemes. Silt traps, cells and bunds were created to hold water and reduce soil-wash and run-off down a field valley, to lessen the amounts of fine sediments filling highway drains and thereby cut flooding in Westford.
The owner said he enjoyed doing the work himself using his own machinery and “it definitely does hold back water”.
Kingston St Mary, Park Farm, Tone catchment
In 2024-25, at the farmer’s suggestion, an old pond was reinstated to help slow peak flows of flood water, down towards Pickney Lane, the busy A358-Cross Keys pub junction and properties downstream. In 2025-26, for the same purposes, a second farmland pond (75 metres long and up to 12 metres wide) was reinstated. This pond has a leaky outlet made with on-site timber and a 6-metre buffer strip.
Landowner’s view: “it’s certainly acted as a silt trap and it was full to overflowing when we had all that heavy rain so it must definitely have slowed some of the water going downstream”.
Lydeard St Lawrence, Pyleigh House Farm, Tone catchment
Following a request by Somerset Council’s Highways Department for FWAG SW to look for ways of reducing road flooding at this site, a small pipe was replaced with a larger twin-wall pipe, a 200m2 attenuation area was dug out below the mouth of the pipe (around which a hibernaculum was also created), a cascade of flow spreaders was installed and a historic pond was restored.
The applicant also had a Trees for Water Action Fund grant, as did the adjacent property.
Landowner’s view: “Water on the road just vanishes into the works we had done. It’s been great – all the neighbours have noticed the difference.”
Lower Henlade, Tone catchment
Two interlinked schemes. A series of 7 leaky dams was installed within the main stream at Stones Farm at Lower Henlade, and a water storage area of around 150m2 was desilted, to help reduce flows down to Stoke Road. This floods during heavy rain, inconveniencing around 80 properties and impeding access to the A358. Both these schemes tied in with another scheme funded through the SRA Community Flood Action Fund.
Parish council view: “People do think it’s had a beneficial impact for sure. Other parts of the area have flooded and [in Lower Henlade] we’ve not – which has been great”.
Thornfalcon, Tone catchment
Three interlinked schemes to reduce flood risks along the track (also classified as a public footpath) to Holy Cross Church and four properties. Two historic ponds were cleared and desilted, one about 50m2, the other about 514m2, to help store water. Drainage channels were also restored, the track regraded, and a third pond desilted, to direct water for storage into a remnant of the 19th century Chard canal. Finally, a French drain was created to divert flows away from a problematic gateway into a fourth existing pond in a domestic orchard. This pond was regraded to give it less steep banks. A pipe was also laid to connect the larger desilted pond to the French drain to allow for additional storage.
Landowner’s view: “We had some fairly heavy rain over the winter, and it was really encouraging to see the difference these works made. Water moved away much more effectively.”
Knole Pit Meadow, Knole, Parrett catchment
A scheme to slow the flow of water into Knole by meandering two drainage ditches and creating two attenuation ponds in Knole Pit Meadow, a market garden and regenerative farming showcase north-west of Knole below the A372. In total, 242 metres of inlet and outlet ditch were dug out, and nearly 2,200 m3 of soil was shaped into bunds. The aim was to complement other SRA-funded works done in Knole.
The owner – who also got a Trees for Water Action Fund grant – said: “A dream for me became a reality for the villagers of Knole. My land has been transformed.”
Milborne Wick, Parrett catchment
Two interlinked schemes between the villages of Charlton Horethorne and Milborne Wick, including a new drainage ditch and two scrapes with slow-release drainage pipes to reduce flows down to a stream that is part of the headwaters of the River Yeo and runs down towards Milborne Wick. Milborne Wick has flooded in recent years.
Landowners’ view: “finished to a very high quality, will improve flooding mitigation for us and to the village”.
Pye Corner Farm, between Odcombe and West Coker, Parrett catchment
Thirty-four leaky woody brash dams were placed 10 metres apart along Sutton Bingham Stream, either hinged from trees nearby or built with arisings coppiced locally, to help slow the flow of water down to West Coker, where roads and at least eight homes have flooded.
Part of a wider scheme also involving around 2000m3 of pond desilting funded by Wessex Water.
Landowner’s view: “very pleased with the work… and what it has achieved”.
Westcombe Farm, Somerton, Parrett catchment
A soil bund was created to capture heavy run off along the farm’s main flow pathway towards Lower Somerton, which flooded during December 2023 and January 2024, near the junction of Cartway Lane and the B3153 over Somerton Hill.
Landowner’s view: “Did it solve the problem? No, not with all the rain we had earlier this year, but it definitely had a positive impact in stopping that road from flooding for longer.”