Newsletter April 2025
We are pleased to have had another successful year delivering flood risk, water level management, drainage, and environmental services to communities within the Drainage Area.
An Introductory Message from the Chairmen
We are pleased to have had another successful year delivering flood risk, water level management, drainage, and environmental services to communities within the Drainage Area. We have completed our annual maintenance programmes on the viewed rhyne networks and are progressing substantial programmes of repairs and improvements on our assets. We also continue to scrutinise and regulate development proposals both large and small. Hinkley Point C, The Gravity Site at Woolavington, and Banwell Bypass to mention just a few.
The weather patterns have been challenging for us all, with some of the wettest and driest periods on record, and by all accounts this trend is set to continue. That is why we are pleased that our voices have been heard by leaders and decision makers, both locally and in Central Government.
Through our work with the Association of Drainage Authorities, the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee the Environment Agency and our local Members of Parliament there is a growing acceptance in DEFRA that failure to provide adequate funding for main river maintenance is leading to unacceptable flooding and environmental consequences. This realisation has already led to some limited extra funding for Main River maintenance, and we will continue to press for greater acceptance of the need for ongoing maintenance of Main Rivers and watercourse networks.
Across the Consortium we have been successful in bringing in additional funds from DEFRA that have allowed the Boards through agreement with the EA to undertake Main River maintenance that would otherwise not have been carried out, and funding of some of our own larger projects such as Crossman’s Hatch in North Somerset, further reducing flood risk for our rate payers and communities, protecting the environment and reducing Carbon emissions from Peat Moors. We also continue as governance and delivery partners in the Somerset Rivers Authority who raise additional funding for flood related work in Somerset, and we have once again completed the River Parrett Annual Maintenance Operations downstream of Burrowbridge.
Our capability to make a real difference to the people we serve continues to grow and we encourage your ongoing support to the IDBs as our influence and capacity to deliver flood risk, water level management and environmental outcomes develops further in this time of increasing need.
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