‘Referrals’ are flooding problems that FWAG SW have been asked to examine because it is thought that better land management might help. Requests for FWAG SW to carry out SRA-funded investigations can be made by sources such as Somerset Council’s Highways Department, its Flood and Coastal Management team, SRA staff, Wessex Water, parish and town councils and established flood groups. So, for example, four of the NFM schemes just described in 2025-26, at Lydeard St Lawrence and Thornfalcon, formally began as ‘highways referrals’.
FWAG SW advisers can choose to assist in cases where they judge that better land management or natural flood management, or both, could indeed help to reduce flooding, for example along roads where too much water is running off from fields or tracks.
Places visited in 2025-26 included the A358 near Norton Manor Camp, Combe St Nicholas, Combwich, Crimchard, Monksilver, Trull, Wiveliscombe and 11 sites within the purview of the Three Villages Flood Group (Mudford, Chilton Cantelo, Ashington).
FWAG SW are also funded by the SRA to encourage the uptake of land and soil management techniques which improve the infiltration of water into the ground, reduce run-off and lessen compaction and erosion.
Events in 2025-26 included a farm walk across the Dillington estate where Workstream 2 leader Roy Hayes discussed matters such as cropping, hedges, bunds and buffer strips. Another walk was held in the Hillfarrance Brook area to promote opportunities for farmers to get funding from Wessex Water, and a workshop at Evercreech was organised with Bristol Water and the Headwaters of the Brue project. Other places visited included Monksilver, Odcombe and Somerton. At the Somerset Prepared Community Resilience Conference, FWAG SW advisors ran a workshop about NFM, soil visits and the usefulness of forming community action groups.
Overall in 2025-26, FWAG SW advisors visited dozens of places across Somerset for various SRA-related purposes from Skilgate in the west to the River Mells in the east.
