Building a Severn barrage could increase the risk of flooding in Burnham-On-Sea, Brean and Berrow, a campaign group has warned this week.
The newly-formed ‘Stop the Barrage Campaign’ claims that a Severn barrage would raise the threat of inundations by water.
The warning comes after detailed scientific studies on the issue, which have found that estuarial barriers create considerably greater risks of flooding and silting than originally thought.
The flooding and siltation issue has been examined in a study paper presented to a renewable energy symposium in Cardiff by Roger Morris, Senior Specialist (Ports & Estuaries) from Natural England. He compared the potential impact of a Severn barrage with the Eastern Schelde storm surge barrier in Holland and concluded that, from improving flood defences, the evidence shows that a barrage could have the opposite effect, lowering foreshores and increasing the flood plains on either side of the estuary.
Niels Westberg, Marine Director at Bristol Port Company, has carried out his own investigations on the effects: “Quite contrary to earlier projections it is now clear from our own work and deep understanding of the estuary’s composition and water movement that there is a significant future threat from coastal erosion caused by wave attack should a barrage be built.”
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is currently undertaking a feasibility study into renewable energy possibilities in the Severn Estuary and in November ministers are due to decide on a shortlist of options.
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Official Severn Lake Website [External Link]
