As Winter approaches, an Assembly Member has talked of his hopes that water releases from two Powys reservoirs will prevent flooding during periods of heavy rain.
Last year, Montgomeryshire’s AM, Russell George, convened a meeting with representatives from Natural Resources Wales, the Environment Agency and Severn Trent Water to discuss the matter and following the meeting, it was agreed that a review of draw-down procedures for both Llyn Clywedog and Lake Vyrnwy would take place.
Mr George said:
“In recent years, there has been concern that the processes for managing water discharges from the Lake Vyrnwy reservoir and Llyn Clywedog near Llanidloes has resulted in more severe flooding in the Severn and Vyrnwy valleys at times of heavy rain and storms.
“This flooding has had a detrimental affect on agricultural land, crops and livestock and has cost the farming industry and landowners huge amounts in lost revenue, damage to equipment and land.
“Last year, I convened a meeting between a number of interested parties including landowners, the farming unions, and others from the Severn and Vyrnwy Valleys to discuss their concerns.
“Following this initial meeting, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) agreed to conduct a review of its procedures for drawing down water from Lake Vyrnwy as well as discharges from Llyn Clywedog near Llanidloes.
“I’m therefore pleased that since the initial meeting, a number of review meetings have taken place, which have included representation from key local people and people that have previously had land affected by flooding.
“At the recent meeting of the Liaison Group, a number of actions will now be taken forward to review the procedures for drawing-down water from Lake Vyrnwy and Llyn Clywedog to ensure that releases will only be made when water levels permit, to prevent flooding at the Vyrnwy/Severn confluence.
“I also welcome the decision of the review group to make use of technology so that designated land owners can quickly advise on weather and river levels in their local areas.
“I would now like to see greater flexibility in the operation of these reservoirs to ensure they take account of unseasonal weather patterns; a collaborative approach to decision-making on discretionary releases which involves all interested parties; and the implementation of the actions which were identified by the review to ensure that landowners and farmers do not suffer from flooding in the future.”