Wye Catchment Partnership
27/03/2014
Attendees: Barbra Spence (NRW), Hayden Probert (WUF), Stephen Marsh-Smith (WUF),
Kate Adams (WUF), Mike Richards (Coed Cymru), Dave Harris (Monmouthshire Council),
Havard Prosser (Cardiff University), Paula Taylor (NRW), Owain Sheppard (NRW), Sarah
Faulkner (NFU), Anne Taylor (EA), Andrew Osbaldiston (EA), Tony Norman, Andrew Nixon
(AONB), Alan Wilson (URM), Joe Dagget (National Trust), Matt Bajowski (IDB), Les Harrison
(IDB), Charles Pudge (IDB), Gareth Davies (WG Rural Affairs), Jeremy Tanner (NRW),
Simon Evans (Facilitator), Elizabeth Price (WUF).
Introduction
 The outputs of this partnership will feed into the Severn District Liaison panel.
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Circulate map of Wye catchment to all (ACTION Host).
A record of these notes will be provided to each attendee.
Terms of reference:
 The terms of reference are a draft and will adapt to the development of the
partnership. They detail how the partnership and hosts will operate. There is no
requirement for partners to follow the Terms required of the hosts.
Information on abstraction
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Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith gave a brief presentation on abstraction from the Wye
(available upon request) that put existing rates of abstraction into context of river
flows.
Discussion followed.
DEFRA's plan to bring unlicensed abstractions into abstraction regimen may help
flows.
Shifts in seasonal availability provides better flexibility to farmers.
Abstraction at low flow classed as risk not problem.
Farmers who own abstraction licences only abstract a fraction of their licence
Is there a problem?
 Group agreed extremes of flow were a problem.
 Existing NRW/EA flood map describes catchment flooding accurately.
 Local/surface water flooding inadequately recorded (ACTION Host; obtain data from
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Insurance companies- flooding into rural houses).
High levels in Wye and Lugg cause problems for IDB by backing up drainage ditches.
Over land flow that is causing flooding also leads to erosion of topsoil and
introduction of phosphate and pesticides.
Large trees and debris being carried by river is difficult to remove during floodingsignificant risks- Monmouth bridge severely threatened on 2 occasions last winter,
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Requiring 45 mile detour.(ACTION Host; Source figures for cost of flooding winter
2013/14).
During drought conditions migratory fish are lost in the estuary unless appropriate
conditions occur in first 15 days.
Low flows concentrate pollution and cause to algal blooms in the lower river.
'Hands of' flows cause major problems for agriculture and the impending licensing of
trickle irrigation is leading to major growers spending 10's of millions of pounds on
protecting water availability.
Where is the problem?
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Low numbers of surface water flooding problems reported by Powys CC (6 in past 12
months in the catchment)
Surface water flooding from agricultural land common in Herefordshire and
Monmouthshire. Serious problems in 2012 and December 2013-March 2014.
Poly tunnels now include balancing ponds to store run off i.e. minimal abstraction.
Huge increase in chicken farms in Herefordshire and Radnorshire - more water
required.
During droughts, middle Dore, Summersgill and even Lugg dry up.
Local hydroelectric schemes are limited in output during drought conditions
Health and safety- Children's access to culverts in urban areas.
Impact on domestic water take i.e. drought, hosepipe ban (ACTION Host: Quantify
problems).
Restriction of abstraction can be detrimental to some businesses.
Welsh Government is entering new period focusing on catchment based approaches.
Keen on payments for ecosystem processes -bottom up productionsupporting/facilitating- taking example and expand into further areas.
High cost of investment of water store on farms/planning permission.
Urban as a cause of flooding
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Limited problem in Wye.
Small developments in villages and run off from roads cause flooding and run off
across agricultural land.
Cultural issues
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Need to involve engineers (used to pouring concrete!), low confidence in land
management that needs to be guaranteed to working in 50 years. (ACTION HOST:
Get data on benefits of catchment scale work for flood defence and fill in gaps.)
Different measures/solutions required for different areas i.e. due to rainfall amounts.
Lack of info in terms of impact of changes in grazing management in upland areas.
Driver/Pressures
See draft matrix compiled from the meeting for completion and return to WUF.
Next step.
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Outputs of meeting sent to attendees.
Next meeting to develop solutions 4th June Swan Hotel Hay on Wye 10am-4pm.