Shrewsbury floods explained

The town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England has historically been affected by flooding of the River Severn.[1] [2] The Frankwell area, has been particularly affected, but flood defence measures have largely been effective in the area.

Geography

Shrewsbury is about 14miles west of Telford, 43miles west of Birmingham and the West Midlands Conurbation, and about 153miles north-west of the capital, London. More locally, the town is to the east of Welshpool, with Bridgnorth and Kidderminster to the south-east. The town centre is partially built on a hill whose elevation is, at its highest, 246feet above sea level. The longest river in the UK, the River Severn, flows through the town, forming a meander around its centre.[3] The town is subject to flooding from the river.

Defences

Most of the ceremonial county of Shropshire is covered for purposes of local government by Shropshire Council, a unitary authority established in 2009. Telford and Wrekin is a unitary authority, with borough status, which forms part of the county for various functions such as Lord Lieutenant but is a separate local authority from Shropshire Council. However many services are shared across both authorities, such as the fire and rescue service, and the two authorities co-operate on some projects such as mapping flood risk.

Notable occurrences

From the late 1990s, the town experienced severe flooding problems from the Severn and Rea Brook.[22] [23] In the autumn of 2000 large swathes of the town were underwater, notably Frankwell, which flooded three times in six weeks.[24] The Frankwell flood defences were completed in 2003, along with the new offices of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council. More recently, such as in 2005 and 2007 but not 2020, flooding has been less severe, and the defences have generally held back floodwaters from the town centre areas. However, the town car parks are often left to be flooded in the winter, which reduces trade in the town, most evidenced in the run up to Christmas in 2007.[25]

November 2019

On 14 November nine schools in Shropshire were closed because of floods.[26] [27] The Environment Agency issued three flood warnings for the county, two on the River Severn and one on the River Teme.[28] Sections of the A49 and A488 were closed as were a number of minor roads, particularly in the south of the county.[29] On 15 November four schools remained closed.[30] [31]

On 15 November 2019 rail services between Shrewsbury and Welshpool did not run due to flooding.[32]

Storm Dennis (February 2020)

Properties were flooded in the centre of Shrewsbury as the Severn burst its banks. The Environment Agency described the flooding across parts of the West Midlands as "unprecedented", and warned that excess runoff from the upper reaches of the Severn in Wales meant that the flooding in the lower Severn valley would likely be prolonged for at least three days.[33]

Storm Henk (2024)

Storm Henk caused major flooding in Shrewsbury.[34]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shrewsbury residents frustrated as floods grow more frequent. February 22, 2022. The Guardian. 23 February 2022. 23 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220223030524/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/feb/22/shrewsbury-residents-frustrated-as-floods-grow-more-frequent. live.
  2. Floods in the West Midlands . January 1895 . 10.1002/qj.4970219307. Southall . Henry . Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society . 21 . 93 . 28–39 . 1895QJRMS..21...28S .
  3. Web site: 23 February 2022 . Imperial Gazetteer entry for Shrewsbury . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121022153342/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/entry_page.jsp?text_id=934570&word=NULL . 22 October 2012 . dmy-all.
  4. News: . A Miniature Severn with Six Bridges . . 18 Sep 1954 . 12 . 23 February 2022 . 23 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223215444/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96276559/a-miniature-severn-with-six-bridges/ . live .
  5. Web site: Shrewsbury Flood Defences . 23 February 2022 . environmentdata.org . . 23 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223200025/http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:1336/OBJ/19001084.pdf . live .
  6. Web site: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk . 23 February 2022 . Frankwell Flood Alleviation Scheme - Shrewsbury . 5 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190905130101/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/291407/gemi0304bhes-e-e.pdf . live .
  7. News: Maintenance Work Starts On Shrewsbury Flood Defence . States News Service . 24 April 2018 . . .
  8. Web site: Slow the flow! | Shropshire Council. Shropshire.gov.uk. 23 February 2022. 23 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220223200016/https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/drainage-and-flooding/policies-plans-reports-and-schemes/slow-the-flow/. live.
  9. Web site: Flood Control: Shrewsbury. TheyWorkForYou. 23 February 2022. 23 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220223203848/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2021-07-01.25760.h&s=carbon. live.
  10. Shrewsbury flood proves just the job for Logicrane . Contract Journal . 2008-08-10 . 445 . 6695 . 36 . 0010-7859 . .
  11. News: The Late Floods In Wales . January 9, 1846 . . 5 . .
  12. News: Floods in the Provinces . Coventry Standard . 3 . 22 Dec 1848.
  13. News: Inundations . 8 . . November 22, 1852 . The Times.
  14. News: Shrewsbury, Saturday Night . . . 7 . 15 November 1852 . 23 February 2022 . 23 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223225200/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96282393/shrewsbury-saturday-night/ . live .
  15. News: Heavy Floods -Shrewsbury Sunday, 7 30 p.m. . February 11, 1867 . . 6 . .
  16. News: Shrewsbury Floods - Severn Highest for 40 Years . . . 2 . 24 February 1941 . 23 February 2022 . 23 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223222455/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96276848/shrewsbury-floodssevern-highest-for-40/ . live .
  17. News: Floods In 30 Counties . March 19, 1947 . 4 . .
  18. News: Flood Threat To Severn Towns . January 13, 1948 . . 4 . .
  19. News: Floods: Cinema Awash . . 4 . 15 January 1948 . 23 February 2022 . 23 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223222453/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96277903/floods-cinema-awash/ . live .
  20. News: Wild Week-End Weather . February 13, 1950 . 6 . .
  21. News: River Severn Flooding: Homes and businesses evacuated. BBC News . 23 February 2022. 3 March 2022. 1 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220301084158/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-60475077. live.
  22. News: Flooded baby otter recovering well after Rea Brook rescue. 1 August 2016. BBC News. 5 January 2016. 22 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160122195631/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35227748. live.
  23. Web site: The Mill Race, Sutton, Shrewsbury. Archaeological Data Services. 1 August 2016. 2. May 2008. 11 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200211072022/https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-1096-1%2Fdissemination%2Fpdf%2Farchaeol4-44856_1.pdf. live.
  24. Web site: Shrewsbury flood alleviation scheme . Environment Agency . 24 February 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070110011902/http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/regions/midlands/567079/567090/893833/894284/202790/?lang=_e . 10 January 2007.
  25. News: Flood watch continues on Severn . BBC Shropshire News . 24 February 2008 . 10 December 2007 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20071213155630/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7135099.stm . 13 December 2007 . dmy-all.
  26. Web site: Hereford & Worcester News. 14 November 2019. BBC News. 14 November 2019. 15 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115183344/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/hereford_and_worcester. live.
  27. Web site: School closures Shropshire Council. 14 November 2019. Shropshire.gov.uk. 14 November 2019. 15 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115123543/https://shropshire.gov.uk/school-closures/. live.
  28. Web site: Flood warnings for Shropshire, England - GOV.UK. 14 November 2019. flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk. 14 November 2019. 5 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220305143819/https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/location?location=Shropshire. live.
  29. Web site: Flood warnings in place, schools closed and cars stranded as Shropshire braces for more rain - in pictures. O'Brien. Lisa. 14 November 2019. www.shropshirestar.com. 15 November 2019. 14 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191114123033/https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2019/11/14/flood-warnings-in-place-in-shropshire-as-county-braced-for-more-rain/. live.
  30. Web site: Primary schools Shropshire Council. 15 November 2019. Shropshire.gov.uk. 15 November 2019. 15 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115122951/https://shropshire.gov.uk/school-closures/primary-schools/. live.
  31. Web site: Secondary schools Shropshire Council. 15 November 2019. Shropshire.gov.uk. 15 November 2019. 15 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115122950/https://shropshire.gov.uk/school-closures/secondary-schools/. live.
  32. News: Schools and roads shut as floodwaters rise. 15 November 2019. BBC News. 15 November 2019. 17 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191117011136/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-50430743. live.
  33. News: Woman missing in floodwater as Storm Dennis strikes. 16 February 2020. 1 April 2020. BBC News. 15 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200415112749/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-51521406. live.
  34. News: 2024-01-04 . Storm Henk: Flooding forces Shrewsbury residents out of homes . 2024-01-04 . en-GB.

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