There could be some flooding this week and coming weekend in Shrewsbury and around Shropshire. Probably not as bad as our first flooding of the winter a few weeks ago, but I think a few of the car parks will go under.

Anyone have any reports?

Webcams:

http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/public/News/W...WelshBridge.htm

and

http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/public/News/W...ankwellQuay.htm

Not looking too bad at the moment.

Flood Warning
The river level is expected to rise again to between 3.2 and 3.6 metres on Wednesday morning.

Travel
Frankwell Car Park will be CLOSED from 5.30pm tonight, and will remain closed on Wednesday.

St. Julians (and other car parks) are likely to stay open.

Shrewsbury is OPEN for business, people coming into town are advised to use the Park and Ride. All main routes into Shrewsbury are currently open.

I've heard the river is expected to peak on Thursday morning at 3.6 to 3.7 metres.

Lovely weather today - quite odd seeing the river in flood with clear blue skies over head!

Went for a walk around the Coton Hill/Berwick Road area today. Lots of flooded fields and The Flash was flooded too (but not Pig Trough).

According to the Borough Council/the Environment Agency:

"The river level is rising with an expected peak of between 3.6 and 4.1 metres on Friday."

I suspect though, from reports already of falling river levels at Melverley, that the peak will be on Thursday (tomorrow) and probably around 3.8 - 4.0 metres.

To put things in contrast, the worst flooding in the past decade, that of Oct/Nov 2000, had a peak of 5.25m at the Welsh Bridge. The peak on Dec 9th a few weeks ago was 4.65m at the Welsh Bridge.

Do they read this thread? They've changed their advice to:

"The river level is rising with an expected peak of between 3.6 and 3.7 metres on Thursday morning."

If this is true, then there's not much to worry about this time round. Frankwell Car Park will be under, but that's about it.

River should peak today in Shrewsbury.

"The river level is rising with an expected peak of between 3.7 and 3.8 metres on Thursday afternoon."

Also St. Julian's Car Park is now closed.

The river peaked at the Welsh Bridge today this afternoon at 3.76m BUT there will be a higher, second peak tomorrow evening - up to 4.7m.

That is severe - only half a metre lower than the 2000 super flood peak!

LATEST UPDATE AT 17:45

The river level is currently rising with an expected peak of up to 4.7 metres on Friday evening although with the recent rain this could be slightly higher.

Frankwell Car Park and St. Julians Car Park are CLOSED.

Sydeny Avenue and Gravel Hill Lane are CLOSED so to is the unclassified road between Crosshouses and Atcham.

Coleham Head will be closed from 11pm tonight for the deployment of flood barriers.

Raven Meadows multi-storey and The Strand are likely to be CLOSED on Friday.

All main routes into Shrewsbury are currently open, but some routes are likely to be affected as the water rises including Coton Hill.

The unexpectedly high rainfall we had last night is going to hit us tomorrow - amazing to have such a higher second peak just one day after the first one.

Fortunately the weather forecast is better for us for the next few days, with only some showers.

Here we go again!

Is it just me or is there very little media coverage of the floods here in Shrewsbury these days? It seems that now they are such a common occurance (every winter/twice a winter) that the media don't bother reporting it (outside Shropshire). The 1998 and 2000 floods, though somewhat worse, were national news. The two floodings of this winter (so far) have barely made the news, though properties, roads and such like have been flooded.

I guess we've all become used to these floodings now! How things have changed.

The severity has been downgraded:

"The river level is currently at about 4.0 metres and rising with an expected peak of between 4.3 and 4.5 metres on Friday evening."

So it will be lower than the peak reached on the 9th December, which was 4.65 metres.

Peaking about now:

"The river level is currently at about 4.25 metres and rising with an expected peak of around 4.4 metres at approximately 6pm Friday evening." (Given at 1:40pm)

I was in town this afternoon (will post photos later) and it was 4.35m and rising at about 4:30pm. So 4.4m seems about right for a peak at the Welsh Bridge at 6pm.

LATEST UPDATE AT 10:38am

The river level at the Welsh Bridge is currently around 4.25 metres and FALLING. Its peak was 4.56m at 10:30pm on Friday evening.

Car Parking
Frankwell Car Park - CLOSED.
St. Julians Car Park - CLOSED.
Raven Meadows multi-storey OPEN with access via Meadow Place.

People coming into town are advised to use the Park and Ride.

Closed Roads
Coleham Head - Due to the flood barrier.
Longden Coleham - Partially closed due to flooding with the shops remaining OPEN.
Roushill
Berwick Road
Sydeny Avenue
Victoria Avenue

Ah so it did rise further after 6pm last night.

I will upload photos on Monday or Tuesday, when I have my faster connection available!

I'm looking forward to seeing Proud Salopian's pictures of the peak of the floods, but in the meantime here are some snaps I took on Saturday afternoon after the water level had started to fall.

Good photos there - the water today is going down quickly.

Great photo's Town_Walls thank you for posting!

River level has gone down very quickly now (Sunday), however I discovered to my cost this aftenoon rthat cycling down Sydney Avenue is still a bad idea! Spotted some dead Christmas trees in the flotsam and jetsam by the weir.

My photos can be found here:

http://shrewsburyforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=929

:)

Some very good photos have been posted. The power of the river comes across.

There are plans to make better use of the river with water taxis, moorings, a promenade etc. According to tonight's Sloppy Star there is a public meeting at the Darwin Community Centre in Frankwell Tuesday week. One proposal is to provide a three foot water channel for river craft from Castlefields to Berwick Ford. I would think that there would be a danger of it silting up. I have a vague memory of a dredger operating on the river many years ago. Does anybody else remember this or is old age taking it's toll?

Really good photos there Proud Salopian, especially as the light would have been failing. To think that I was cycling in the dry along Victoria Avenue this morning (Tuesday) and through Old Coleham this evening, when they were deep under water on Saturday and Sunday. It's still flooded from the weir to Greyfriars Bridge though.

I have to warn in advance though that there is a strong storm on its way to England and Wales on Wednesday/Thursday/Friday this week, which will bring strong winds and heavy rain. Could be another flood around Saturday/Sunday (20th/21st) - though it depends on how far the river has gone down and how much rain falls of course.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_...t_warnings.html

There should be more use of the river for leisure and tourism in my opinion, but you're right if it's going to be done it needs to be done properly with money set aside for regular dredging and maintenace.

Would it be feasible in the longer term to somehow bypass the weir to allow boats to travel into the town from further down the severn? A navigable stretch from Gloucester and beyond up to Shrewsbury would be very good for attracting tourists.

one of the plans for the Shrewsbury canal had a connection upstream of the weir.

http://www.sncanal.org.uk/

s.g.d.

I found the following on Shrewsbury Council's web site

"The River Regeneration Partnership whilst it is in its formative period has adopted the following objections:-(I think that should read "objectives")

1. To regenerate the river to become a pleasant attractive and viable waterway, suitable for walking, canoeing, fishing rowing, private board users, commercial boat users and any other appropriate use.

2. To maintain and enhance the natural beauty of the environment and the wildlife of the river in a sustainable way, and to address the instigation of an annual maintenance programme.

3. To utilise the river in a more proactive way to attract different types of visitors and boat users and thus increase spend and bring economic benefits to the town and surrounding area.

4. To bring more boats onto the river by providing mooring facilities, landing stages and a suitable navigation channel.

5. By supporting a bridge over the River to connect the Showground to Frankwell."

Cost is estimated at £1.8 million according to the Star. Putting a bridge across the river would cost that alone I'd have thought but good luck to them.