Bewdley is on the River Severn, Britain's longest river, which rises in mid-Wales and flows 350km to its mouth near Bristol. Heavy rainfall in the Welsh mountains and a large catchment lead to regular flooding of the river. Although it is rare for the whole catchment to be affected, large areas of the flood plain inundate regularly.
Most settlements along the Severn are well adjusted to this flooding, but less so to exceptional events. There were six high profile flood events within the Severn catchment between Easter 1998 and summer 2007. Four of these affected Bewdley, including the severe flooding of Autumn 2000.
As a result of this flood hazard, the Environment Agency has worked on a number of ways to manage the flooding. Through this website you can investigate the 2000 flooding in Bewdley, and solutions to manage or prevent future flooding.
Managing Flood Risk - Bewdley Case Study
Flooding of the River Severn at Bewdley
