Welsh farmers demand government dredges flood-prone river

Farmers in a flood-prone valley are increasing pressure on Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to find money to dredge a waterway of silt, because they say they can no longer use swaths of their land due to concerns around flooding.

The River Dysynni near Tywyn, Gwynedd, is so silted up in some areas that it is impeding the flow of the water and, consequently, putting pressure on the drainage system.

Farmers in the region say that farmland, habitat and wildlife are in decline as a result of flooding and are demanding that funding is found to resolve the issues.

See also: Q&A: What are your rights when farmland is flooded?

They point out that NRW has a statutory duty to maintain the waterway.

Huw Jones, the Farmers’ Union of Wales county officer for Meirionnydd, said: “Substantial investment is required to improve some floodbanks and the infrastructure and dredge parts of the river.”

Urgent action was now needed, he added.

NRW administers the Dysynni Internal Drainage District (IDD), one of 13 areas in Wales where management of water levels on low-lying agricultural land is required.

Legitimate concern

Plaid Cymru politician Mabon ap Gwynfor, who represents the farmers in the Senedd, said they had a legitimate concern about water levels in the valley.

“The drainage scheme, which was devised in the Victorian era, is an ingenious piece of engineering, and should allow water to drain from the valley to the sea,” he said. “However, water levels remain high there because it cannot flow out of the mouth of the Dysynni because of various factors, including silting in the river mouth.”

NRW chief executive Clare Pillman recently met the farmers and listened to their concerns.

She said that in 2021 contractors opened up 19 miles of ditches in Dysynni IDD.

“Our focus this year will be to continue to deliver the costed programme in line with environmental standards,” she said, adding that work was planned in the area for 2022.

“As climate change intensifies and we experience extreme weather events, including more intense rain, flood risk management will be an increasing challenge for the years ahead.”

Defra flood protection

Meanwhile in England, Defra says 234,718ha of agricultural land has been given additional protection following a £2.6bn programme of work dedicated to improving flood and coastal defences.

The capital investment programme, which ran from 2015 to 2021, had left 314,000 homes better protected and also created and enhanced natural habitats, Defra said.

The UK government has now ring-fenced £5.2bn for flood and coastal defences work up to 2027.